Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, Enterprise, Software, Internet Tools, Open Source
LogMeIn to Mac users: No Hamachi² for you!
I'm not a fan of setting up Virtual Private Networks (VPNs). In fact, I've had so many issues with VPNs in the past that I now subcontract that work to a fellow geek who seems to have a knack for understanding the various settings. That's why I have been following Hamachi with great interest for the past several years.Hamachi is described in the Wikipedia as "a zero-configuration virtual private network (VPN) shareware application capable of establishing direct links between computers that are behind NAT firewalls without requiring reconfiguration (in most cases); in other words, it establishes a connection over the Internet that very closely emulates the connection that would exist if the computers were connected over a local area network."
LogMeIn, a commercial firm that produces both free and subscription services for controlling other machines, sent out an email to customers on Thursday touting Hamachi², their implementation of Hamachi. LogMeIn has been deeply involved in Hamachi development, so the announcement was expected. What I didn't expect to see was that they've left both Mac and Linux users out in the cold.
I quickly jotted off an email to LogMeIn and received this response: "Mac is not currently supported, we do plan on adding support for other platforms but do not have an ETA at this time." For quite a while, there was an open source project called "Hamachi X," but it's no longer supported. Another developer took on the task of creating a Mac OS X and Linux Hamachi client called Hamachi Sidekick, which is a GUI to a command-line Hamachi tool. Unfortunately, LogMeIn also pulled the Mac OS X command-line interface (CLI) version of Hamachi, so there's no way to even try the CLI tool or Hamachi Sidekick now.
LogMeIn may tout Hamachi² as "a VPN that just works," but for Mac users, it just doesn't work.
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
ds said 7:19AM on 9-11-2009
My company runs LogMeIn for remote screen access, and, while the price (free) is right, their regard for the Mac community seems to stop right there. While I definitely appreciate their existence of a product, I'd love to see them actually add some features to it. I'd gladly pay for the perks that come with the Pro version for the PC, and the hooks are definitely in the system to do it. Also, considering I had to write a custom script to reset the client every night (thanks to a recurring and intermittent "black screen" issue that they haven't cleared up yet), I don't think stability's on their top priorities either. I'm not about to stop using the product, but I'd really like to see something better, from LogMeIn or elsewhere. On the plus side, the software's fantastic for punching through a firewall and getting screen control.
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Hussain Mahmood said 8:31AM on 9-11-2009
Have you tried the new client released September 5? It's not available as a standalone, but if you go to Tools > Check for Updates... in the menu bar it will download it.
ds said 8:35AM on 9-11-2009
Actually, I saw the update and am running it on select clients to test. Interestingly enough, most other updates would fail with a permissions error, so it's good to see at least that one fixed now. I've got my fingers crossed that it takes care of the black screen issue.
PookieBadMuffin said 7:26AM on 9-11-2009
And yet again, you act genuinely surprised regarding the lack of Mac support.
Are you new? Did you buy a Mac last week? Maybe the switcher ads forgot to mention this chronic problem?
Annoying, yes. Unexpected, hardly. It's a Mac, folks.
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pop said 1:56PM on 9-11-2009
Normally I'd agree... However, Hamachi and LogMeIn Pro previously worked on the Mac platform. Releasing a new version of software that strips prior compatibility stinks.
FeedMeAStrayCat said 7:31AM on 9-11-2009
Never having Mac support is one thing. Im use to that. But removing support makes me feel sad.
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Meekle said 8:59AM on 9-11-2009
They are advertising some nice new features and trials when you log in now, but then you read that they are PC only. Oh well. Better than nada since BTMM still isn't as easy as logmein...or as reliable.
Maybe it's just me, but FWIW, logmein doesn't want to do remote control period in Safari in Snow Leopard. Works fine in F'fox 3.5.2, though. 32-bit plugin issue?
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jason said 10:08AM on 9-11-2009
i use logmein on a mac (their free offering) and it works fine through their web interface.
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vincois said 11:55AM on 9-11-2009
You can use Remobo. http://www.remobo.com/download.php
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subspacednb said 12:57PM on 9-11-2009
Better grab it while you still can:
http://files.hamachi.cc/osx/
http://files.hamachi.cc/linux/
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R2B2 said 2:27AM on 9-12-2009
I'm a big fan of ShareTool myself…
http://yazsoft.com/products/sharetool/information/
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Allyson Pelletier said 4:22PM on 9-11-2009
Thanks everyone for your interest in and comments about LogMeIn Hamachi2. I wanted to clarify a few things relating to Mac and Linux support.
Users who are running the previous version of Hamachi on Mac/Linux can continue to participate in existing networks, and even participate in new networks created with Hamachi2.
While we cannot commit to specific timeframes to new features or products, we are committed to supporting additional platforms with LogMeIn Hamachi2 services. When we have more information, we’ll communicate it as soon as possible.
Best regards,
Allyson Pelletier
Director, Consumer & SMB products
LogMeIn, Inc.
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Buran said 4:26PM on 9-11-2009
Prove it. "Committed" means leaving us all out to dry?
I'm already recommending to my gaming group that we look elsewhere for a provider that actually recognize that not everyone is on Wintel.
Yuusharo said 8:54PM on 9-11-2009
@Buran
You're right. Not everyone is on Wintel. Some of them are on AMDs ;)
Hey, I'm grateful they even support the mac at all! Citrix hasn't other than their meeting software, and Webex? Have you ever tried it?
While I have been waiting for the Pro support for Macs for a long time, the free solution works extremely well. And you have to look at it from a business standpoint anyway. Macs still, if you can believe it, have *very little* marketshare out there, and far less so in the typical office work environment where this type of product is probably mainly used. When you launch a new platform, you have to decide if putting in the extra time and development costs to support cross-platform out of the box is really worth the return.
Hey, they realize there's a market out there for Mac users as well as linux, and support will come in time. Meanwhile, use the old version of Hamachi until the new version is ready to go.
Buran said 12:24AM on 9-12-2009
That is true! But AMD chips are compatible with Intel chips when running Windows -- my gaming machine is an AMD system and I've never, ever run into issues with it refusing to run software compiled for x86. But "WinAMD" just doesn't sound the same, does it?
Bensawsome said 10:33PM on 9-11-2009
I have been using HamachiX on my Uni-body MBP while it had Leopard for a little while and on an old Powerbook G4 I had from work for about a year. (with Leopard also). It worked great... Then I tried HamachiX on Snow Leopard. It didn't wanna open since I didn't have Rosetta installed... And I really would prefer to keep it off for disk space as HamachiX apparently was the only PPC program on my mac. So then I tried Hamachi Sidekick… It COMPLETELY freaked out. I know I don't have Rosetta installed but still.
Ok first, the computer completely froze for about a minute.
Second, the graphics just FREAKED OUT!
Third, a ton of software update notifications popped up and I was finally able to get a screen shot after closing about 40 of them. Here is a screen shot of that: https://dl.getdropbox.com/u/88521/hamchisidekickfreakout.jpg
I don't know what will happen if I install Rosetta us installed but I’m not gonna try :/
Anyways that is what happened with me. Any other comments/happenings similar to this?
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rdsh said 2:17AM on 9-12-2009
I voted with my feet. I used to be a paying subscriber to LogMeIn, but have not renewed owing to their attitude to Mac support.
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Christopher Gillespie said 8:01AM on 9-12-2009
I'm a new fan of ShareTool. Great product for WAN Bonjour. I run it through the iVPN front-end on my home machine. iVPN lets you enable and configure Mac OSX's internal L2TP and PPTP server. The combo is impeccable.
http://www.macserve.org.uk/projects/ivpn/
Sorry, no trial. I can endorse it works under 10.6.
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SteveMinne said 4:54PM on 9-15-2009
I've encountered LogMeIn twice while doing work on Macs formerly supported by other Mac consultants. BOTH TIMES they had LogMeIn installed and OS X was munged. Both encounters were in 2007. That was all I needed to see and have since avoided it like the plague.
If you are a self-respecting support pro then you'll pay for a professional remote support tool.
I'm in year three with NTR. Very good product, excellent support, and as of 2009, even good pricing.
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Steven Sande said 5:33PM on 9-15-2009
Steve - what's NTR?
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