VPN — Power On / First-Time Setup (CloudVPN)

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In This Article

CloudVPN is how you reach office network drives, printers, and internal resources from outside the office. After The I.T. Experience installs the client on your computer, you only need to Power On once (and sometimes again after a reboot) so the connection comes up. Your CloudVPN sign-in is the same username and password you use on your office computer.

The short version: click the ^ by the clock, right-click Hamachi, choose Power On, and wait about 30 seconds. Steps with pictures

On your computer the app is labeled Hamachi or LogMeIn Hamachi — that is the CloudVPN client. Same service, different label on the icon.

Not installed yet? If you do not see a Hamachi icon near the clock (even under the hidden icons), stop here and follow VPN — Install the CloudVPN Client first. Power On only works after the client is on the PC.

Before you begin

  1. Your computer is connected to the internet (any website should load).
  2. CloudVPN is already installed — you can find Hamachi in the system tray or Start menu.
  3. You know the username and password you use to sign in to your office Windows computer (you may be asked once).
CloudVPN is not Remote Desktop. CloudVPN gives you files and printers on the office network. Remote Desktop / ScreenConnect puts you on your office PC’s screen. Many people need both; they are separate tools. See Remote Access — ScreenConnect if you need your office desktop.

Power On CloudVPN (first time and every day)

These steps are the same the first time and any later day you need the office network from outside the office.

  1. Click the ^ (up arrow) next to the clock, at the right end of the Windows taskbar. This shows your hidden icons. The right end of the Windows taskbar next to the clock. A red arrow points to the small ^ arrow that shows hidden icons.

    Hamachi icon already showing by the clock? Skip to step 3.

  2. Find the Hamachi icon (sometimes labeled LogMeIn Hamachi) in the small panel that opens. When CloudVPN is off, it's a round gray icon. The hidden-icons panel open above the taskbar with four small icons. A red arrow points to the Hamachi icon, a round gray icon second from the left.
  3. Right-click the Hamachi icon and choose Power On. The Hamachi right-click menu above the hidden-icons panel, with three items: Power On, About Hamachi and Exit. A red arrow points to Power On.

    Menu says Power Off instead? CloudVPN is already on, so don't click it. If your drives still won't open, see VPN — Can’t Connect or See Network Drives (CloudVPN).

  4. Wait about 30 seconds while it connects. Don't open drives yet; give it that short pause. If your lettered drives (G:, S:, etc.) don't come back, open Network Access on your desktop (where to find it).

What the icon usually means

Exact artwork can vary by version, but these are the common states clients see:

What you see What to do
Powered off / greyed
CloudVPN is not running		 Right-click → Power On
Connecting / busy
Still coming online		 Wait ~30 seconds
Online / powered on
Ready for network shares		 Open drives or Network Access
Asking for a login
Client needs your office credentials		 Sign in with your office username/password

If you are asked to sign in

Use the same username and password you use on your office computer. If your firm uses a domain-style login, it often looks like COMPANY\jsmith or [email protected] — use whichever form IT already gave you for Windows.

Your CloudVPN username and password are the same credentials you use to log into your office computer. You should not need a separate “VPN-only” password.

If sign-in fails after a careful retype (and Caps Lock is off), submit a support request rather than guessing new passwords.

Find the Network Access shortcut

After CloudVPN is set up, a Network Access shortcut is placed on your desktop. If lettered mapped drives (G:, S:, etc.) are missing or won’t connect, open Network Access first — it lists your company shares even when drive letters fail.

  1. Go to your Windows desktop.
  2. Double-click Network Access.
  3. Open the share you need (common names vary by company — Shared, Departments, Scans, etc.).
Mapped drive letters missing? That is common after sleep, reboot, or a slow home connection. Power On CloudVPN, wait 30 seconds, then open Network Access. You can keep working from Network Access even if G: or S: has not reappeared yet. For more on drives, see VPN — Access Network Drives & Shares (CloudVPN).

Verify you are connected

You are done when all of the following are true:

  1. Hamachi shows as powered on / online.
  2. Network Access opens and lists company folders (or your usual mapped drives reconnect).
  3. You can open at least one folder you recognize from the office.

Optional checks that confirm a healthy connection:

  • A known shared folder opens without a long hang, then an error.
  • An office network printer appears if you normally print over CloudVPN (printing still depends on the printer itself — see Printer shows offline if the printer is the only problem).
You’re done when: the Hamachi icon shows you’re online/powered on, and double-clicking Network Access on your desktop lists company folders. If Network Access is missing, or folders won’t open after a minute online, follow VPN — Can’t Connect or See Network Drives (CloudVPN) or submit a support request.

If Power On does not work

Try these in order. Stop when you are online and can open a share.

  1. Confirm the icon exists. No Hamachi icon under hidden icons and nothing in the Start menu for “Hamachi”? You need install help first — VPN — Install the CloudVPN Client.
  2. Try Power On again after waiting a full minute on a stable internet connection.
  3. Sign in carefully if prompted — office credentials only.
  4. Restart Windows once using Restart (not Shut down), then Power On again. See Rebooting / restarting your computer if you want the short version of why Restart matters.
  5. Still red, stuck, or greyed out? Use VPN — Can’t Connect or See Network Drives (CloudVPN), or hand it to us (checklist below).
Do not download a personal Hamachi copy from the public website to “fix” Power On. Our CloudVPN networks are pre-configured by The I.T. Experience. A random install will not join your company network and can leave you with confusing duplicate icons.

After a reboot or Windows Update

It is normal for CloudVPN to come up off after a restart. That is not a failure — it is waiting for you to Power On again (unless IT configured auto-start for your firm).

After Windows finishes loading, follow the Power On steps above. Then open Network Access or your mapped drives.

FAQ

Click a question to expand it.

Is Hamachi the same thing as CloudVPN?

Yes. CloudVPN is the name we use in these guides and in tickets. On your PC the product is labeled Hamachi or LogMeIn Hamachi. One service.

Do I leave CloudVPN on all day?

If you are working from outside the office and need drives or office printers, leave it powered on. When you are done for the day you can leave it on or power it off — either is fine. Power it on again the next time you need the office network.

Internet works, but office folders do not — is that this article?

Yes for the Power On / first connection step. If Hamachi is already online and folders still fail, switch to VPN — Can’t Connect or See Network Drives (CloudVPN) or VPN — Access Network Drives & Shares (CloudVPN).

I am on a guest Wi‑Fi / hotel / hotspot. Will CloudVPN work?

Often yes, sometimes no. Some public networks block the connection types CloudVPN uses. Try a phone hotspot as a quick test. If the hotspot works and the venue Wi‑Fi does not, the venue network is filtering VPN traffic — use the hotspot or another network, or ask us for options.

Network Access is missing from my desktop

Search Start for Network Access or Hamachi. If nothing useful appears and Power On works but you still have no way to open shares, submit a support request and say Network Access is missing after install.

If none of that worked

Submit a support request if: Hamachi isn’t installed, Power On fails, Network Access is missing, or you can connect to CloudVPN but still can’t open the shares you need.

Please include:

  • Whether you can see the Hamachi icon (yes / no / only after showing hidden icons)
  • What happens when you choose Power On (connects, asks for login, greyed out, error text)
  • Whether Network Access is on the desktop
  • Whether regular websites work on that same computer
  • Your computer name if you know it, and roughly when this last worked
Worth an extra minute: a screenshot of the Hamachi window or tray icon state (and any error text) usually saves a round of back-and-forth. Attach it to the request if you can.
Working again? Bookmark this page for the Power On steps. Day-to-day file access is covered in VPN — Access Network Drives & Shares (CloudVPN). If the same Power On failure comes back every morning, tell us — that is usually a quick fix on our side rather than something you should keep nursing.
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