How to Run Hamachi on Leopard

A while back I detailed how to get Hamachi VPN running on Mac OS X, but times have changed, so here’s how to go about it under Leopard. Again, it’s a bit tricky, involving some Terminal work, but it’s pretty straightforward as far as command-line software goes.

Download and Install Tun/Tap
Hamachi for Mac OS X depends on some other tunneling software, a Tun/Tap kernel extension which does the low-level work. Download the latest Tun/Tap package and install it.

Download and Install Hamachi
Next, download the latest Hamachi for Mac OS X. Installation is a bit more complicated than the Tun/Tap drivers. Unzip the archive, and open up a Terminal window, and type “cd”, followed by a space. Don’t press Return just yet… Instead, drop the Hamachi folder right into the Terminal window, which will insert the path to that folder after the prefix you just typed:
cd /Users/you/Downloads/hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osxNow hit Return, and the Terminal’s new working directory will be the Hamachi folder — this is just a quick drag-and-drop shortcut to avoid typing out the path to a folder you already have available.

Once in the Hamachi folder, type:
sudo ./installEnter your administrator password to perform the install.

Hamachi should now be installed, and you can initialize it for the first time by typing:
hamachi-initThis will generate public and private encryption keys in your Home folder, under “.hamachi/” (the inital . character makes the folder hidden from regular Finder views).

With both set-ups out of the way, it’s time to start using Hamachi!

Run Hamachi
Configure Tun/Tap by typing:
sudo ./usr/sbin/tuncfg

Start up Hamachi by typing:
hamachi startFollowed by:
hamachi login

At this point, you should be connected to the Hamachi service, but without a VPN for your computers to join. If you already have a network, or plan to join a trusted friend’s network, you can easily join it by typing:
hamachi join SomeNetworkReplacing “SomeNetwork” with the destination network name.

Most likely, though, you’ll need to create your own network:
hamachi create MyNetworkReplacing “MyNetwork” with a unique network name. If your desired network name does not already exist, you’ll be prompted to create a password for it — type carefully!

Now you should have a virtual network in place and can go online:
hamachi go-online MyNetworkAgain, replace MyNetwork with the network name you’ve joined or created.

To see other parties on the network, run:
hamachi list

If other computers are online, you’re ready to connect to them with any higher-level software like iChat via Bonjour, the Finder’s “Connect to Server” command, Safari, etc.

To log out of Hamachi and shut down VPN connections, type:
hamachi stop

For more information about how to use Hamachi, you can view its manual by typing:
hamachi -h

45 Responses to “How to Run Hamachi on Leopard”

  1. loving the new theme. VERY clean.

  2. Thanks for the writeup Collin.

  3. What of HamachiX?
    http://www.versiontracker.com/dyn/moreinfo/macosx/34275

  4. yeah hi I have a problem with the part
    Configure Tun/Tap
    I type exactly what you said to type and it is not configuring it tells me that the directory or such does not exist
    “No such file or directory”
    some help would be grateful thanks

  5. @Jon: If sudo ./usr/sbin/tuncfg isn’t working for you, it sounds like the Tun/Tap package isn’t fully installed. Try again, perhaps?

  6. Try sudo /usr/sbin/tuncftg (without the .)

  7. Oops i mean /usr/sbin/tuncfg

  8. Last login: Wed Dec 10 17:40:00 on ttyp1
    Welcome to Darwin!
    jack-withycombs-imac-g5:~ jackwithycomb$ cd /Users/jackwithycomb/Desktop/hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osx/
    jack-withycombs-imac-g5:~/Desktop/hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osx jackwithycomb$
    jack-withycombs-imac-g5:~/Desktop/hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osx jackwithycomb$ sudo ./install

    WARNING: Improper use of the sudo command could lead to data loss
    or the deletion of important system files. Please double-check your
    typing when using sudo. Type “man sudo” for more information.

    To proceed, enter your password, or type Ctrl-C to abort.

    Password:
    should_i_not_install_this_if_it_says_that?

  9. I use Shimo, from shimoapp.com for my VPN connections. It’s remarkably versatile and very unobtrusive.

    When it comes to Hamachi, nicknames don’t seem to work, and there is no list of other computers connected to your Hamachi networks, so be sure to check system profiler on all the machines for your Hamachi IPs.

    I use it almost daily to pull files from the home computer using Apple Remote Desktop.

    Overall, I highly recommend it.

  10. And now having read the man page for Hamachi (hamachi -h), I can do all the things Shimo has no UI for!

    Nicknames are set by starting Hamachi from the command line or with Shimo, then using terminal type, ‘hamachi set-nick ‘

    Other users are listed using, ‘hamachi get-nicks’ followed by, ‘hamachi list’

    Very nice indeed!

  11. How can I re-install hamachi? When I run hamachi-init it says

    path /Users/jefflewis/.hamachi already exists (use -f to force using it)

    is there i can delete this .hamachi file so I can re-install it?

  12. So I’m also stuck at the Configure Tun/tap part
    I tried what joey said but I got -bash: /usr/sbin/tuncfg: Permission denied as a response

  13. I’ve been trying for a week to get Hamachi to work on Leopard 10.5.6. HamachiX download is nowhere to be found. Command line instructions from LogMeIn.com do not work. Can’t get tuncfg to run. Anyone out there successful getting hamachi to run on Leopard?

  14. When I get to the step where a have to type my password i just push enter/return because i havent get a admin pass om my mac. But once i have pushed return/enter i just ask for a password once again… What to do?

  15. 2Michael – set passsword for your login, then folow the steps, then you can remove passwrod from your login.

  16. How can i uninstall Hamachi from Leopard? Please explain it for me!

  17. Do you know of any other locations where the dashboard widget could be found? The developer’s site seems to be down.

  18. Hi, I’m stuck at the “sudo ./usr/sbin/tuncfg” bit i tried what joey said and got the same response as william and i’ve re-installed tuntap three times so what do i do now?

  19. I have hamachi working between my Windows XP laptop an OS 10.5 Macbook. When I tried the same installation on a client iMac OS 10.5, it looked like everything was also fine, until I tried to connect. “Failed to connect” was the error. I have all computers in the same environment and the iMac is the only one not working. I can ping the ip address, but no Ultra VNC from the Windows computer to the iMac only. The connection to the MacBook works fine.
    I tried a permissions repair, the iMac had information installed from an OS 10.4 laptop. Somethings amiss with the iMac only, but I haven’t been able to figure it out.

  20. Joel: just delete the directory and it should be uninstalled
    Daniel: if you installed tun/tap from the package just type ‘sudo tuncfg’ as it should be in your PATH already

  21. thanks helped me with ‘cd /Users/you/Downloads/hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osx’ that wasn’t included in orginal description

  22. OK GUYS… I FIGURED OUT HOW TO RUN THE “sudo ./usr/sbin/tuncfg” PART…
    JUST TYPE “sudo ” (dont forget the space) and then drag the tuncfg file from the folder that’s inside the hamachi folder and it should do it…

  23. ok when i get to the part were i have to Configure Tun/Tap by typing: sudo ./usr/sbin/tuncfg terminal says comand not found, i tried it several times but it still says command not found…….umm what do i do??? /:

  24. what u said work PEDRO thx man ur a fucking genius!!!

  25. dude. amazing run-thru of this. so stoked that it works. :D very happy atm. thanks again!

  26. Hamachi refuses to login for me – anyone else having this problem?

  27. Hey, thx so much for the detailed description!
    is there any GUI version available?

    Cheers!
    Max

  28. hi all the commands worked up till after i typed in sudo ./install. but when i tried typing in hamachi-init to start hamachi, all i get is

    generating 2048-bit RSA keypair .. ok
    making /Users/someoneelse/.hamachi directory .. failed

    can someone help me with this?

  29. james-alexanders-macbook-pro:hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osx rmalexnder$ hamachi-init
    You need the Rosetta software to run hamachi-init. The Rosetta installer is in Optional Installs on your Mac OS X installation disc.

    When i try to do the hamachi-init step it says that. I installed Tun/tap so what should I do? Go back and restart from the begining?

  30. you are running OS X 10.6, which does not include Rosetta (to run PPC programs)… you would need to put your OS X Install Disc 1 into your computer and run the installer. then you should search for optional installs and install Rosetta…

    btw anyone successfully used Hamachi on Snow Leopard?

  31. i ve tried everything that is mentioned here but i still cant make hamachi work on snow leopard.
    i remain stuck on hamachi login that fails always…
    i am desperate since hamachiX doesnt work on snow leopard anymore and i really don t know what to do…
    any help?

  32. Installed HamachiX on both an iBook (Mac OS X 10.5.8) and Mac Mini (Mac OS X 10.6.2) and seems to work fine (including Bonjour).

  33. hey guys. i have the same problem. hamachi 0.9.9.9-20-osx always fails when i want to login -.-

    i type:

    .failed
    (this is the answer i get) =(
    and i do not find any solution…

    also HamachiX 1 C12 does not work on 10.5.8 :(

    could someone please help me

    greetings chris

  34. WORKS ON SNOW LEOPARD with add from Pedro:

    “OK GUYS… I FIGURED OUT HOW TO RUN THE “sudo ./usr/sbin/tuncfg” PART…
    JUST TYPE “sudo ” (dont forget the space) and then drag the tuncfg file from the folder that’s inside the hamachi folder and it should do it… ”

    after this step just follow the guide :)

    THX Pedro very much :))

  35. How do I “killall tuncfg” it doesn’t work for me, should i type sudo and more stuff infront of “killall tuncfg” ?

  36. Hey I’m having a problem with a game. According to a walkthrough for the windows version of the game using hamachi, there is this part where you have to select hamachi as the network adapter. How do I do this on mac? Because I get the feeling I am creating these networks and connecting to them etc… but nothing is actually recognising this. Is there not a way to put the hamachi server properties into the VPN setup thing in Network Preferences? So it’s like an actual VPN? (Getting a different IP adress etc)
    Cheers for any help.

  37. Ok, ignore my previous post, I don’t care about that.

    Now my main problem is that hamachi just randomly stopped working. Can’t log in anymore. Tried removing everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) and re-installing, but no luck. Very frustrated.
    Please help?

  38. What do i have to do next

    Unknown-00-1e-c2-06-20-95:~ Hunbogigunnthorsson$ cd /Users/Hunbogigunnthorsson/Downloads/hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osx
    Unknown-00-1e-c2-06-20-95:hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osx Hunbogigunnthorsson$ sudo ./install
    Password:

    Copying hamachi into /usr/bin ..
    Creating hamachi-init symlink ..
    Copying tuncfg into /usr/sbin ..

    Hamachi is installed. See README for what to do next.

    Unknown-00-1e-c2-06-20-95:hamachi-0.9.9.9-20-osx Hunbogigunnthorsson$ hamachi-init
    hamachi-init: path /Users/Hunbogigunnthorsson/.hamachi already exists (use -f to force using it)

  39. So I’ve done everything on here exactly, and Hamachi seems to be running just fine. I created my network, I went online, my friend joined the network and went online and all that. When I do hamachi list I see him on there. However, he’s not showing up on my Bonjour and he can’t connect to my IP to join a game I’m trying to host. Is there something else I need to do in the Network portion of the system preferences? I’m on an Intel iMac on 10.5.6 right now, and I believe he is too. What now?

  40. Um, is this safe for my mac, I don’t want anything bad happening to it.

  41. Hey guys…
    I’m trying to play Starcraft with a macbook and a pc (win xp)
    So I’ve installed hamachi 2.0.1.66 on the pc, and HamachiX 0.9 (1C12) (31)

    Both softwares communicate, ping, etc. but I still cannot play!!!

    Any suggestion??

  42. I cant install it when i type ./install it just says this is a file or directory

  43. now it is saying command not found

  44. Hey I’m having a problem. Hamachi. Installed easily logs in and starts well to but when I try to join my friends server it won’t let me type in a password. I’m on my mac and he’s on a pc. The server registers but terminal won’t let me type in the password. Am I doing anything wrong?

  45. Thanks for the help, I instarlled the hamachi and made it working on my mac, but it will always become ‘connecting…’ a few munites after I go online, it will work again if I turn it offline online. and become ‘connecting…’ munites later…. plz help me with this

Leave a Reply