Getting Started - Clarifications Needed

[JonRobertson]

I'm a software developer with 20 years experience.  I've managed a few small networks in my time.  I understand the basics (DNS, DHCP, routing, subnets, etc).  But I'm not a networking expert and I've never setup a VPN.

I recently used a client's Hamachi network and was impressed.  I'm considering setting one up for my team.  Reading over the Getting Started PDF, there are two areas that confuse me.  Can someone help clear up my confusion?

Gateway Network Characteristics

...

•Each member (Hamachi client) will see the gateway and the other members of the gateway's LAN

•Hamachi clients will not see each other in a gateway network

Q1: So each client can see everything on the gateway's lan but can't see each other?  "See" in what way?  I was able to PING other Hamachi clients on the client's network I used.

Gateway Network Restrictions

•The gateway cannot be a workstation that is the member of a domain

Q2: Seriously?  If a gateway cannot be a member of the domain, there won't be any network resources accessible to be shared with the gateway network.

Thanks for any clarity you can provide.  

[Sean_K]

Your answer to Q1 is that you should not be able to directly ping the Gateway LAN IP of the other Hamachi Clients from each other.  The fact that you can is odd, most likely being that your computer is functioning as an L3 Router.

For Q2, It specifically states that it cannot be a Workstation on a Domain.  It has to be a Server Operating System: 

Server 2k3 or above (Not 2k3 Small Business Server, as that does not know how to bridge)

Linux