Hamachi:Gaming

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Contents

Overview

Hamachi can be used to connect you and your friends together for a gaming session by creating a virtual LAN (called Virtual Private Network). A VPN client will give you better latencies (less lag) than traditional Internet based gaming because it bypasses the extra servers required to Host/Join a game session.

Please consult the Hamachi user manual before continuing!

In order to insure that you will be able to create/join a Hamachi VPN and others will be able to join you the minimum required instructions are listed below, in the Basic guide.

Basic guide

The following steps are the least you'll need to do in order to play most games:

How the metrics and the Hamachi properties should look like in Vista.
How the metrics and the Hamachi properties should look like in Vista.

1. After installing Hamachi, run it once and insure you've configured your firewall properly and have set port forwarding on your router(s) (if you have one).

2. Re-prioritize your network adapter order:

For XP/2000: Start > Control Panel > Network Connections, then, on the menu bar, click Advanced > Advanced Settings and put Hamachi at the top of the list.

For Vista: Start > Control Panel > Network and Sharing Center, then, on the left side panel, click on 'Manage Network Connections'. Now press Alt, click on Advanced > Advanced Settings and put Hamachi at the top of the list.

3. Configure the gateway and metrics:

In Network Connections right click on Hamachi > Properties, select TCP/IP(v4) > Properties > Advanced. Ensure that the default gateway is 5.0.0.1, if not, then add/edit it and set its metric to Automatic (this is the Gateway Metric).
Below 'Default gateways' tick 'Automatic metric' (this is the Interface Metric).

Quick notice: Some users have reported that their internet connection fails when Hamachi is turned on. Removing the Hamachi gateway (5.0.0.1) should resolve the problem. It is not known why this is happening, but it might be the ISP's fault. Entering a Gateway Metric manually (for example, the default "1500") can restore the internet connection, but gaming functionality may still not be available.

4. If you're running Vista disable TCP/IPv6 (untick it in the Hamachi properties)

5. If you're running Vista ensure that Hamachi appears in the 'Network and Sharing Center' as a 'Private Network' .
If it doesn't, then press customize (at Hamachi, of course) and set it to 'Private Network'.

6. Reboot.

7. Create/Join a Hamachi network and check to see if you can ping/chat with one another. If either one of these don't work ensure you haven't forgotten anything and check again. Still not working? check section 3.1 and 3.2 of the 'Advanced Guide' below.

8. The game host must be running Vista when playing with XP users!

Though this quick guide will insure you will be able to play most games via Hamachi, please visit our game specific tweaks section and also check this thread for a list of games known to work with Hamachi + user submitted game specific tweaks where necessary.

If you still can't find the solution to a game, then please post your question on the Hamachi forums here.

Advanced guide


Please ensure that you have already completed the Basic guide before proceeding!

This guide consists of several extra tweaks/tips for playing on a Hamachi VPN.

Ping/Chat issues

  1. Make sure you allow Hamachi through your firewall on both the UDP and TCP ports.
  2. If your firewall allows IPs through, enter your Hamachi IP and allow it through for both UDP and TCP ports.
  3. Closing a firewall may sometimes resolve your issue, but this is not recommended. So configure your client and IPs through your firewall properly to avoid security risks.
  4. If you use a router you are most likely using NAT. In which case see the next section on configuring NAT.

Sometimes users don't need to port forward (it depends on the router) so you could try to ping each other now.

Configuring Routers

  1. Open Hamachi preferences (the little gear icon in the bottom left hand corner), select the 'Status' tab on the left and click on 'Detailed Configuration'. If you use a proxy enter it here!
  2. Under 'Connecting through NAT' tick the UDP port and put a port number, something higher that 45000 usually provides better connections, and remember it;
  3. Allow port forward on that UDP port for your router;
  4. Test the port is forwarded correctly here; just add a custom port and click test (open and closed means it's working ok; time-out... not forwarded correctly).

If you are unsure about port forwarding then visit this site as it has Port forwarding for almost every router explained in detail.

Can Ping Peer, but can't see LAN game

The route table in Vista; click to zoom
The route table in Vista; click to zoom

First see if there are any special tweaks required for your game.

  • The game might not be able to detect Hamachi as the first network adapter and as such use the IP your ISP provided you.

See if you can find out what IP it is using while in-game; if it has 5.x.y.z then it's a Hamachi IP, if not, move Hamachi adapter up in the Network Connections > Advanced > Advanced Settings list, or try downloading this tool. The tool is meant for Company of Heroes (>version 1.71) and it does what says above, but it can also work in other games aswell. How to use it:

  1. Open Hamachi;
  2. Open the application;
  3. Enter your game;
  4. Press Ctrl+Shift+D while in the game's main menu (you will loose internet connection!);
  5. Host a LAN game;
  6. After the server's loaded, press Ctrl+Shift+E;
  7. Wait 10 seconds (you should regain internet connection);
  8. People should be able to join your game now!

NOTE: after each keypress you should hear a sound.

  • Still not working? continue reading...
  1. Open Hamachi;
  2. Let Hamachi connect then disable your normal internet connection(s) and any other network adapters. Right click on them in 'Network connections' and click 'Disable' (don't disable Hamachi!);
  3. Leave Hamachi running and let it to try to reconnect;
  4. Start the game and go in the LAN lobby;
  5. 'Alt-Tab' back to windows and enable your internet, then switch back to the game. You should now see the game.

This forces the game to use Hamachi as the default network adapter.
Both the client(s) and the host must do this!

  • Another problem (usually with the Vista x64 editions) might be the fact that your routing table hasn't been flushed since installing Hamachi.

You can correct this by opening the command prompt (just type cmd in start > run...), then type route print and if you can't see 255.255.255.255 in the IPv4 Route Table type route -f and reboot. This might fix your problem.
If you get the error The requested operation requires elevation, ensure that your account has administrative privileges and UAC (in Windows Vista) is turned off.

Lag/High ping issues

If your game lags there are a few things you can try:

  1. Ensure you aren't downloading/uploading anything and that Windows isn't downloading/installing updates;
  2. Get a faster internet connection;
  3. If you have a multi-core CPU, open Task Manager > click on the 'Processes' tab, find 'Hamachi.exe' (Vista users should tick 'Show processes from all users' and make sure they have admin rights!) and right click on it > Set affinity... and use only CPU0 (untick the others).

You'll have to set the affinity every time you start your PC!

'Games for Windows LIVE' based games

How GFW LIVE network information should look after the registry tweak.
How GFW LIVE network information should look after the registry tweak.

'Games for Windows Live' is Microsoft's try to port 'Xbox Live' to the PC. It requires the game developers to implement it directly in the game to work.
Because of this all games that are based on it have the same problem: even if Hamachi is set to first priority in the adapter's list the game still sets your active internet connection as default.
The workaround is rather simple, yet it involves registry editing. Just download this .reg file and merge it with your registry.

If by any chance the .reg file doesn't work then do the following:

  1. go to start > run... > type regedit and press enter;
  2. now, using the left pane, go to HKEY_CURRENT_USER > Software > Classes > Software > Microsoft > and click on XLive;
  3. now right click in the right pane > New > String Value > and name it ConnectionOverride;
  4. right click on the new value > Modify... > and type Hamachi and press ok.

Now enter a Windows Live based game, press the 'Home' key > Personal settings > Network Information and the adapter should now be Hamachi.

Keep in mind there is a limitation of GFW Live's LAN play: the maximum latency is 30ms. Anything above that and the client cannot connect/see the session!
Alternatively, some GFW Live games have a patch that can circumvent this limit... such as Gears of War.

'Games for Windows LIVE' based games to date:

  • Halo 2
  • Shadowrun
  • Gears of War
  • Viva Piñata
  • Juiced 2: Hot Import Nights
  • Kane & Lynch: Dead Men
  • Universe at War: Earth Assault
  • The Club
  • Lost Planet Extreme Condition - Colonies Edition
  • FlatOut: Ultimate Carnage
  • Fallout 3
  • 007: Quantum of Solace
  • GTA IV
  • Battlestations: Pacific (not yet released)
  • Warhammer 40k: Dawn of War II (not yet released)
  • The Crossing (not yet released)


While there are many GFW games out there, only the ones above make use of Microsoft's GFW Live networking service!

IPX based games


IPX games known to work with Hamachi:

  • Doom
  • Blood
  • Carmageddon
  • Light Bikes (by James Payne)

IPX games that don't work with Hamachi:

  • C&C DOS
  • SWARS

IPX gaming over XP

In order to play IPX based games you first need to install the IPX Internet Protocol and tick it in Hamachi adapter properties.

Now you'll need to enable it. Please follow the instructions here for more details.

IPX gaming over Vista

Download this patch from here (or from here), install it and then reboot your PC. IPX based games should now work over Vista!

This only works with Vista x86 as the patch was complied on 32bits!

Hamachi Aliases

These are generally required only for Source based games (like Left 4 Dead, CS 1.6, CS Source etc.) since they need Class C network addresses for LAN play.

But other (usually older) games might need this too...

Using Aliases in Hamachi lets you and your friends to submit different IPs, even non-Hamachi standard IPs (such as 192.168.1.1), than your default ones.
This is very useful in order to maintain the same IP class over all users of a Hamachi VPN.

eg: your Hamachi IP is 5.69.127.35 and you have a friend that has 5.110.166.143. To keep his IP in the same class as yours, just enter your Hamachi IP at his peer VPN alias, adding an extra unit (5.69.127.36).
It's a good thing for all users to use the same aliases so you don't have any conflicts!

Notes:

  • some users have complained that Aliases don't work for them; downgrading to Hamachi 1.0.1.5 should resolve the issue;
  • Hamachi 1.0.1.5 uses the old method of entering Aliases.

Last resort options

If none of the above steps have worked for you, then try the following:

  • Disable your firewall, IP blocker or other internet security software. They might be blocking Hamachi! Protowall and Peer Guardian were reported as culprits.

Please try to configure your internet security software first!

  • If you have a router, unplug it and connect directly to the modem. Your router(s) might be the problem.

Recheck to see if you've properly set up port forwarding first!

  • For Vista users having problems playing with XP users, try setting the game's shortcut to XP compatibility mode. Just right-click the shortcut > properties > Compatibility > and tick Run this program in compatibility mode for: and select Windows XP.

This is generally useless for new games (GRiD, Crysis, FIFA09 to name a few), but valid for some old games (RA2, SC for eg.)!

  • It might be a Hamachi issue:
  1. Uninstall Hamachi from your computer;
  2. Remove all registry entries associated with Hamachi; start > run > type regedit > press Ctrl + F > tick all 3 boxes and type hamachi > delete the entry (by selecting it in the left pane) > press F3 to find the others... do this till you delete all Hamachi entries;
  3. Google 'Hamachi 1.0.1.5.' and install it;
  4. Configure it as explained above (after version 1.0.2.0, Hamachi received several upgrades to its tunneling system).

In case you will not be able to reinstall Hamachi after removing the registry entries, google for the popular TuneUp Utilities (Free Trial version available), install it and run TuneUp's 1-Click Maintenance which will repair your registry.

I strongly advise sticking with the latest Hamachi build! You might break other games!


Notes

  • The official gateway metric is 1500! However there are games that require a different metric (like 10 for the Rainbow Six Vegas series) in order to properly work. Therefore, setting it to automatic works the best;
  • The IPX patch hasn't worked on all Vista x86 PCs! The patch is rather new and hasn't received enough feedback;
  • Microsoft has 'mysteriously deleted' the registry trick from their GFW LIVE support page; They instead suggest disabling other network adapters than the main active one... this includes Hamachi. Bastards!
  • Again, use the 'Last resort options' only if nothing has worked for you!

Hamachi Forums References

Very special thanks to: madshark69, lowblowz, kweniston, paul-lmi, andrewwan1980 and meowface of the Hamachi Forums Community!

Useful links

Last update

--Captain828 16:08, 4 January 2009 (UTC)

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