N1MM Networking using Hamachi to create a Virtual Private Network

Table of Contents
N1MM Networking using Hamachi to create a Virtual Private Network ............................................................................... 1
Background: Local Area Networks and Virtual Private Networks ...................................................................................... 2
N1MM+ Stations Connected in a Local Area Network (LAN) ......................................................................................... 2
N1MM+ Stations Connected in a Virtual Private Network (VPN) ................................................................................... 3
Definition: Distributed Multi-Operator (DMO) Contesting................................................................................................. 4
Hamachi Virtual Private Network Ingredients .................................................................................................................... 4
LogMeIn Licensing ........................................................................................................................................................... 4
Configuration Settings for VPN Stations from the VPN Host Administrator ...................................................................... 4
Preliminary Contest Station Settings .................................................................................................................................. 5
Computer Name.............................................................................................................................................................. 5
Windows Firewall ............................................................................................................................................................ 5
Preliminary VPN Software Installation................................................................................................................................ 6
Create a Station Account on LogMeIn.com .................................................................................................................... 6
Download and Run the Virtual Private Network Installer Program for Windows .......................................................... 6
Run the Virtual Private Network Program ...................................................................................................................... 7
N1MM+ Checklist for Each Station in the Contest.............................................................................................................. 8
Connect to Other N1MM+ Stations on the Virtual Private Network .................................................................................. 9
Disconnect from the Virtual Private Network After the Contest ........................................................................................ 9
Troubleshoot Network Connection Problems .................................................................................................................. 10
Troubleshoot VPN Login Problems by Substituting VPN Network Numbers................................................................ 10
Troubleshoot Firewall Problems by Temporarily Disabling the Windows Firewall ...................................................... 10
If the Network Status Window Does Not Auto-Populate ............................................................................................. 11
Instructions for the VPN Host Admin ................................................................................................................................ 12

This document describes how to create a Virtual Private Network (VPN) that allows N1MM contest stations to connect
across the Internet to form a geographically distributed N1MM contest site. The are many VPN software programs on
the market – some free, some not. This document pertains to a LogMeIn product called Hamachi VPN, which is free for
networks of five stations or less but requires a subscription for larger groups.
Background: Local Area Networks and Virtual Private Networks
N1MM+ Stations Connected in a Local Area Network (LAN)

LAN drawing depicting a Computer, Network Interface Card (NIC), a Firewall, and a Router connection

A TCP/IP version 4 address consists of four octets – four numbers between 0 and 255, separated by periods. For
example: 192.168.1.102 is an IPv4 address. When computers and peripherals are connected together in a Local Area
Network (LAN) the first three octets of their IP addresses will be identical. In the top half of this diagram the three
computers are on the same LAN and their IP v4 addresses begin with the number 192.168.1.

The router that connects those three computers into a LAN also has a connection to the Internet and a Wide Area
Network (WAN). The bottom half of the drawing shows other computers connected to routers that connect to the WAN.
Note that the IP v4 addresses of these WAN connections are completely different.

The N1MM+ network automatically detects any stations that are on the same LAN – the computers in the upper half of
the drawing. Because the computers on the bottom half of the drawing are beyond the reach of the LAN and across a
WAN, N1MM+ cannot “find” them and interact with them on a contest site.

Operating an N1MM+ contest site that includes computers across a Wide Area Network requires custom
configurations. One example of a custom configuration uses a Virtual Private Network (VPN) to create a Virtual Local
Area Network (VLAN).
N1MM+ Stations Connected in a Virtual Private Network (VPN)

VLAN drawing depicting Computers, Virtual Private Network software, Firewalls, and Routers

The previous page described N1MM+ addressing on Local Area Networks. This page will describe how to simulate a Local
Area Network using Virtual Private Network (VPN) software.

In addition to detecting stations on the same LAN subnet, the N1MM+ network function also detects the presence of the
Hamachi VPN network driver, which functions as a virtual network interface card in the computer. The IP addresses for
stations on this VPN are assigned by the Hamachi server. With the Hamachi VPN running and those addresses assigned,
N1MM+ will successfully “find” all of the connected stations and include them in its Network Status dialog window.

The topology for this network is referred to as a mesh

network – where every station is connected to every
other station. In N1MM+ contest operation a mesh
network offers two distinct advantages: there is no
single point of failure in the event one station
disappears from the network; and one station’s poor
performance does not impact all of the other stations.
Definition: Distributed Multi-Operator (DMO) Contesting
Distributed Multi-Operator Contesting is not remote station operation. (see LAN and WAN diagrams) In DMO,
N1MM+’s networking feature, in conjunction with a Virtual Private Network (VPN), creates a Virtual Local Area Network
(VLAN) of geographically distributed stations using a shared logging database. Each station includes a contest operator
with associated computer and logging software. Each station will usually include a radio, keyer, microphone, tower,
rotor, and antennas; however, station hardware could be located in a different location and accessed using third-party
remote station software.

Hamachi Virtual Private Network Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to get a Hamachi VPN running

• Windows PCs on the Internet (WiFi or Ethernet)

• N1MM+ Contest Stations running version 1.0.8351 or later
• One (1) N1MM+ user acting as VPN Host Admin (see Instructions for VPN Host Admin)
• Hamachi station account (see Download and Install Hamachi Client)
• Hamachi client software (see Download and Install Hamachi Client)
• LogMeIn VPN license (if the VPN includes more than 5 stations)

LogMeIn Licensing
The Hamachi VPN client is free to participating client computers, but the VPN Host Admin will be required to have a
LogMeIn subscription for groups of more than 5 computers. See: http://vpn.net

Configuration Settings for VPN Stations from the VPN Host Administrator
Your invitation to join a VPN network should include most of the following information, which you will need when
configuring your VPN software and N1MM+ station:

_______________________ Hamachi VPN network ID

_______________________ Hamachi VPN network password
_______________________ N1MM+ software version
_______________________ N1MM+ station Call
_______________________ N1MM+ new Database name
_______________________ N1MM+ new Contest name
_______________________ N1MM+ Operator category
_______________________ N1MM+ contest Sent Exchange
_______________________ N1MM+ other (Mode? Zone? ARRL Section? Band? Club? …)
_______________________ _______________________
_______________________ _______________________
_______________________ _______________________
_______________________ _______________________
Preliminary Contest Station Settings
Computer Name
When connected on a network, N1MM uses the computer’s name (also referred to as its Device Name or NETBIOS
name) as a unique identifier for each station. Duplicate computer names cause errors on an N1MM network. Your VPN
host admin may request that you do not use common names like “LAPTOP” or “COMPUTER,” or may require you to use
a computer name that includes your callsign. To check or change your computer’s name, from the Windows Start Menu
select >Settings >System >About and read your computer’s Device Name. If you need to change the Device Name click
[Rename this PC]. Note that Device Names must be 15 characters or less and can only include letters, numbers, and
simple punctuation (like a dash “-“ or underscore “_”). You must reboot your computer after a name change.

Windows Firewall
By default the Windows Defender Firewall blocks packets from N1MM+ on a VPN across a public network. Choose one
of the following two methods to enable VPN packets through your firewall:

• In Windows 10, navigate from the Start Button >Settings >Update & Security >Windows Security >Firewall &
network protection, “Allow an app through firewall.”
• Type “Windows Defender Firewall” in the Windows Search bar, and then click on “Allow an app or feature
through Windows Defender Firewall.”

Upon reaching the Firewall Allowed Apps dialog window, click on [Change Settings] and check the Public check-box for
N1MM Logger+.
Preliminary VPN Software Installation
You need to install the LogMeIn Hamachi client software and create a free station account on the LogMeIn website.

IMPORTANT CONCEPT: LogMeIn refers to these accounts as station accounts because they represent
the login ID and password for that device, not for the operator of the device. If you will be using
multiple devices – more than one PC, a laptop, a tablet – each will require its own station account. As
you create multiple station accounts you can assign them all to one email address.

Create a Station Account on LogMeIn.com

https://accounts.logme.in/registration.aspx

Download and Run the Virtual Private Network Installer Program for Windows
https://help.logmein.com/articles/en_US/Downloads/LogMeIn-Hamachi-Windows-sfdwn0105

The instructions on the LogMeIn website say "Click here to download." If this doesn't work, right-click and select "Save link
as..." to save the file to your computer. Run the installer client program hamachi.msi and create a Hamachi icon on your
desktop.
Run the Virtual Private Network Program
Click on the LogMeIn Hamachi icon on your desktop. Login using the email account and password you registered with in
the earlier step.

If the LogMeIn Hamachi window indicates that your station is “offline,” click the ON/OFF button to authenticate your
network client to the Hamachi VPN server:

After successfully authenticating to the Hamachi server, “offline” will be replaced by the name of your network account, as
shown in the screenshots below.

IMPORTANT: Until your client has authenticated to the Hamachi VPN server, the menu choices in the
following step will be disabled and not click-able.

From the Hamachi drop-down menu select >Network >Join an existing network. Enter the Network ID and Password
provided to you by the VPN Host Administrator. NOTE: Both the Network ID and the Password are case sensitive – type
them exactly as they were provided to you.

If your connection is successful, you will see a list of the other stations connected to this VPN.
N1MM+ Checklist for Each Station in the Contest
The following settings are critical for successful multi-station operation. Refer to the Configuration Settings from VPN
Host Administrator section of this document.

Each station must perform these steps or red FAIL messages will appear in the N1MM+ Network Status window.

☐ Confirm permissions for N1MM Logger+ in your Windows Control Panel >Windows Firewall settings

☐ Launch N1MM+

☐ In the N1MM+ Entry Window, select >Help >About to verify that you are using the same version of N1MM+ as
everybody else

☐ In the N1MM+ Entry Window, select >Tools >Download and Install Latest Country file

☐ In the N1MM+ Entry Window, select >File >New Database, to create a new database for this contest. The VPN
Host Administrator may have provided a database name for your station in Configuration Settings for VPN
Station

☐ In the N1MM+ Entry Window, select >File >New Log in Database, to create a new contest log in this database.
Click the Log Type down-arrow to choose the contest name supplied by the VPN Host Administrator in
Configuration Settings for VPN Station
☐ While still in the contest setup dialog window, set the Operator category (multi-op? multi-two? …) as
specified by the VPN Host Administrator in Configuration Settings for VPN Station

☐ While still in the contest setup dialog window, set the Sent Exchange as specified by specified by the
VPN Host Administrator in Configuration Settings for VPN Station
☐ While still in the contest setup dialog window, set any other contest parameters (Band, Power, Mode…)
as specified by specified by the VPN Host Administrator in Configuration Settings for VPN Station

☐ While still in the contest setup dialog window, select the >Associated Files tab, and set the Function Key
files, Master file and Call History file as appropriate for this contest

☐ Close the contest setup dialog window by clicking [OK]

☐ In the N1MM+ Entry Window, select >Config >Change Your Station Data, and change the Call field to the
common callsign supplied by the VPN Host Administrator for this contest event (maybe your club callsign?) in
Configuration Settings for VPN Station

☐ While still in the Change Station Info dialog window, you may need to set the CQ Zone, ITU ZONE, ARRL
Section, or Club to configuration settings specified by the VPN Host Administrator in Configuration
Settings for VPN Station

☐ Close the Change Station Info dialog window by clicking [OK]

☐ In the N1MM+ Entry Window, select >Config >Change Operator Callsign Stored in Log, (or type <ctrl>+O) to set
your personal callsign as the operator of this station
Connect to Other N1MM+ Stations on the Virtual Private Network
In the N1MM+ Entry Window, select >Window >Network Status. In the subsequent N1MM+ Network Status dialog
window, the Network Computer Mode will be off by default. Click the button to turn on Network Computer Mode.

N1MM+ will automatically detect the other N1MM+ stations on your VPN and will populate the Network Status window
with their details. Your station’s address will appear as its LAN address. Other station’s IP addresses will appear as VPN
addresses (see screenshot above)

IMPORTANT: When using N1MM’s auto-configuring network feature with the Hamachi VPN, the Edit
Networked Computer Addresses tables must be empty. If you have listings on that page, delete them!
For a screenshot of an empty table, see the Troubleshooting section

Disconnect from the Virtual Private Network After the Contest

After successfully connecting to the Hamachi VPN, the VPN connection credentials (station name, VPN ID, password) are
stored in your computer startup instructions. Your PC will auto-connect your station to the VPN whenever you reboot.

IMPORTANT: If your connection to this network was a one-time event to participate in a contest, you
probably do not want your PC automatically connecting to this VPN every time it reboots. To disable
your connection to the VPN, press the power ON/OFF button in the Hamachi dialog window. Upon
pressing that button, the status will be displayed as “offline.”
Troubleshoot Network Connection Problems
Troubleshoot VPN Login Problems by Substituting VPN Network Numbers
Both the Network ID and the Password are case sensitive – type them exactly as provided by the VPN Host Admin in
Configuration Settings for VPN Station. If that fails, the VPN Host Administrator may supply you with an 11 character
network number (nnn-nnn-nnn) to enter in the Network ID field.

Troubleshoot Firewall Problems by Temporarily Disabling the Windows Firewall

Sometimes a quick-&-dirty setting is easiest for isolating the source of connectivity issues. To temporarily disable the
computer’s firewall, click the Windows Start button and select >Settings. In the Settings dialog window, select >Update
& Security >Windows Security >Firewall & network protection >Public Network. In the Public network dialog window,
turn OFF the Windows Defender Firewall.

After testing to see if this action solved your connectivity issue, don’t forget to turn your firewall back ON again.
If the Network Status Window Does Not Auto-Populate
Your Computer Addresses List Must be Empty
Ensure that your >Actions >Edit Computer Addresses list is empty. Your screen should look like this:

Empty Network Address dialog window with only 1 row, which begins with an asterisk “*”, and contains no other text

If your window shows more than one row – even if it looks empty, you must position the cursor in the left column and
press <delete> to remove that row.

Last Resort – Manually Enter the Other Stations’ Computer addresses

IMPORTANT: A significant effort was devoted to ensuring that the auto-populating feature worked
properly. Before abandoning auto-populate for the following manual configuration method, re-
examine the steps described in the previous checklist.

If the stations listed in the LogMeIn Hamachi Network Status window do not automatically appear in the rows of the
N1MM+ Network Status window, you will need to manually enter them into the N1MM+ network table. From the drop-
down menu of the N1MM+ Network Status window, select >Actions [Edit Computer Addresses]. In the Edit Computer
Addresses dialog window, enter the names and IPv4 addresses of all stations participating in the contest – including the
name and IP local (LAN) address of your workstation.

To make things a little easier, the computer names and IPv4 addresses are visible in the LogMeIn Hamachi Network
Status window. You could use the Windows copy/paste feature to assist you.

After manually entering the names and IP addresses, you must start/stop the N1MM networking from that staiton with
>Actions >Stop Networking followed by >Stations >Click here to turn on.
Instructions for the VPN Host Admin
As VPN Host Admin, you need to create a name and password for the VPN. You then communicate this network name and
password to the other members of your group so they can login to the network. See Configuration Settings for VPN
Station.

• When you create a new network, keep in mind that both the Network ID and the Password are CaSe sensitive. You
decide how difficult you want to make login for your users.
• Reconciling logs after the contest might be easier for you if you use a naming convention that identifies the
contest and the station. For example on Field Day you might suggest: FD_W1ABC.s3db, FD_K2DEF.s3db,
FD_N3GHI.s3db.
• At the end of the contest, encourage your attendees to press power ON/OFF button in the Hamachi dialog
window. This disconnects the client from the VPN and releases a license seat for another attendee
• For each new event and group of operators, replace the VPN password so that persons who were in a previous
group but are not in the current group cannot login
• If you exceed the licensed number of attendees, you can remove inactive stations from the Hamachi Network
Status window. Select >Manage >Manage Networks. In the Station Edit window, click the checkbox to remove
stations from this network list
• The maximum size of a free VPN is 5 computers – this includes you (the VPN Host station), and four others. Larger
VPNs require a LogMeIn subscription