A simple open-source Hamachi alternative

Written by Furqan Ahmed · Updated September 26, 2026

If you need a Hamachi-style network for a game night rather than a large managed VPN platform, OrbitLan focuses on a short flow: one person creates a room, shares a six-digit code, and everyone receives an address on the same private subnet.

The project is MIT licensed and its complete source is public. There is no account inside the app. Direct peer-to-peer links are attempted first, game traffic is encrypted between peers, and an optional relay can keep a group connected when restrictive networks prevent a direct path.

Where OrbitLan fits

• Compatible LAN and direct-IP games: useful for small groups playing Minecraft Java, older PC games, and other software that accepts private IP connections.
• No app account: joining is based on a temporary room code rather than a hosted user profile.
• Open source and self-hostable: inspect, build, or run the coordinator yourself under the MIT license.
• Direct-first networking: peers connect to each other when the network allows it, with encrypted relay fallback in Auto mode.
• Lightweight native Windows interface: the client can stay in the notification area while a game is running.

Important limits

OrbitLan currently supports 64-bit Windows 10 and Windows 11. It does not yet provide clients for macOS, Linux, phones, or consoles. The free Community build can host up to four nodes; Community users can still join a larger room hosted by Supporter Edition.

It is a private virtual LAN, not a general-purpose privacy VPN. It does not hide ordinary web browsing, change your public location, or guarantee that every LAN game will work. Game discovery and firewall behavior differ by title, so direct IP remains the safest connection method when available.

How to try it

1. Download Community Edition from the official GitHub release and install it on each PC.
2. Create or join a room with the six-digit code. The app shows connected nodes and their private OrbitLan IP addresses.
3. Open the game's LAN mode or enter the host's OrbitLan IP in its direct-connect screen.
4. Check the firewall if needed. Allow the game on private networks; do not disable Windows Firewall wholesale.

Community Edition includes the same networking core and encryption as Supporter Edition. The $5 Supporter build adds larger hosted rooms, a Force Relay troubleshooting option, and its own visual theme. Both editions remain buildable from the public source.