Log Me In Hamachi enables you to build a secure private network quickly and easily, linking PCs together over the internet.

But there are limits to what you can do with it and if you want to match all the functionality of a conventional virtual private network (VPN), a good deal of extra configuration work is required.

The basic software is very quick to install, the Hamachi setup creating a virtual network adapter and associated control applet on each client. Using this you then either create a new private network or join an existing one.

Either way, special mediation servers hosted by Log Me In are used to establish the UDP connections involved, after which all communication is peer-to-peer and encrypted for security.

Once connected it’s possible to chat with other members, share files and run applications like VNC and Remote Desktop. However, the Hamachi client does need to be installed and connected at both ends in order for tools like Remote Desktop to work.

Moreover, to access resources on Nas (network-attached storage) servers and other systems without the Hamachi client installed, a deal of additional setup work is required both on the client PCs and intervening routers.

On the plus side, Hamachi will work with most Nat (Network Address Translation) routers, firewalls and proxy servers. The basic product can also be used for free to support networks of up to 16 users. Plus there’s a chargeable premium version which adds extra network management controls and additional capacity.

We found Hamachi very easy to use and there are Linux and Mac versions as well as a Windows client. However, additional development work is needed to enable it to work seamlessly with Nas and other network servers.