# FreeC Tier — free Hamachi & Radmin VPN alternative, LAN over Steam

> Play LAN games with friends over the internet: a virtual LAN on top of Steam, no VPN server or port forwarding. A free, open-source alternative to Hamachi, Radmin VPN and ZeroTier.

FreeC Tier puts your PCs into one virtual network on top of Steam. No VPN server, no port forwarding, no fighting the router. Flip it on — you’re on one LAN.

- Version: v0.3.2-preview (prototype)
- Windows 10 / 11 · x64 · Steam must be running
- License: MIT, source code: https://github.com/saberkovich/FreeCTier
- Other language: https://ftier.lol/

## Download

- [Download for Windows — installer · .exe · x64](https://github.com/saberkovich/FreeCTier/releases/latest/download/FreeC-Tier_x64-setup.exe)
- [Portable — .zip · no install](https://github.com/saberkovich/FreeCTier/releases/latest/download/FreeC-Tier_x64-portable.zip)
- [All releases](https://github.com/saberkovich/FreeCTier/releases)

## Steam is the cable. The rest is a plain LAN.

No servers of your own: traffic rides Steam’s infrastructure and the game sees an ordinary network. Works for games that can’t do online play, and for any LAN app.

1. **Create a network.** Or join a friend’s. The UI hands the command to the runtime — that’s it.
2. **Steam connects.** The runtime finds the members and opens a P2P channel over Steam. No server of your own.
3. **The adapter kicks in.** A Windows service brings up a Wintun virtual adapter and pushes IP packets through it.
4. **The game sees a LAN.** To the game it’s a plain 10.77.x.0/24 network. It has no idea Steam is involved.

## A Radmin VPN, Hamachi and ZeroTier alternative — built on Steam

Same idea — a virtual LAN so you can play with friends over the internet. But instead of its own servers and yet another account, FreeC Tier uses the Steam client you already have running.

| Feature | FreeC Tier | Radmin VPN | Hamachi | ZeroTier |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free, no paid plans | Free | Free up to 5 members per network | Free up to 10 devices, non-commercial only |
| Sign-up | None — uses your Steam login | None | LogMeIn account required | Account needed to create a network |
| Inviting a friend | Steam invite | Network name and password | Network ID and password | Network ID and admin approval |
| Open source | Yes, MIT | No | No | Source-available (BSL) |
| Whose infrastructure | Steam (Valve) | Famatech | LogMeIn (GoTo) | ZeroTier |
| Platforms | Windows 10 / 11 | Windows | Windows, macOS, Linux | Windows, macOS, Linux, Android, iOS |
| Stage | Prototype, in development | Stable | Stable | Stable |

_Radmin VPN, Hamachi and ZeroTier details are taken from their official pages as of October 2026. All names belong to their respective owners._

## Frequently asked questions

### How is FreeC Tier different from Radmin VPN?

Both are free, both build a virtual LAN for gaming over the internet, and both run on Windows. The difference is under the hood: Radmin VPN is closed source and runs through Famatech’s servers, while FreeC Tier is open source (MIT) and carries traffic over Steam Networking. You invite friends with a regular Steam invite — no network name or password.

### Is it a Hamachi alternative?

Yes. Like Hamachi, FreeC Tier joins computers into one LAN over the internet so you can play games that have a LAN mode. The differences: no LogMeIn account, no paid plans (free Hamachi is capped at 5 members per network), and the source code is open.

### Can I use FreeC Tier instead of ZeroTier?

For games and LAN apps between friends — yes. ZeroTier is a general-purpose network for any device, but you need an account to create a network, and the free plan is limited to 10 devices and non-commercial use. FreeC Tier is simpler: turn the network on, invite friends from Steam. The trade-off: for now it runs on Windows 10 and 11 only.

### How do I play LAN games with friends over the internet?

Install FreeC Tier on every PC and start Steam. One player creates a network and invites friends through Steam; the others accept the invite. Everyone gets an address like 10.77.x.x — then pick LAN mode or connect by IP in the game, as if you were in the same room.

### Do I need port forwarding or a public IP?

No. Steam Networking sets up the connection: it gets through NAT on its own, and if a direct link isn’t possible it relays traffic through Steam’s relay servers. No router setup needed.

### Which games are supported?

Any game with LAN play or direct connect by IP address: to the game, the virtual adapter looks like a regular network card. For example, Minecraft, Warcraft III and other games with a LAN mode. The game doesn’t have to be on Steam — Steam is only the transport.

### Is FreeC Tier a VPN? Does it hide my IP?

No, it’s not a privacy VPN and it doesn’t get around blocks. FreeC Tier joins your friends’ computers into a shared virtual LAN; the rest of your internet traffic goes out as usual.

### Is it free? What do I need?

Free and open source (MIT license). You need Windows 10 or 11 (x64), Steam running, and a Steam account for every member. The project is still a prototype, so features and network behavior may change.

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**Work in progress.** The current version is a prototype: features and network behavior may change.