One‑Click VPN: Simplify Private Server Setup

Published Feb 26, 2026, 9:30 AM EST

From the first time Shaun laid eyes on a DOS computer, he's been obsessed with tech to an unhealthy degree. After spending 4+ years in the Games Journalism field, it was time for him to take his passions to the next level. Working with companies such as Prima Games and The Escapist, Shaun decided it was time to let his true colors shine and spread his love, positivity, and excitement about the world of tech. 

While tech may be a massive part of his daily life, Shaun has also been an avid Gamer since the mid-90s. From the first time he picked up an SNES controller, a lifelong hobby was born. Outside of the realm of gaming, he loves to spend time with his wife, building up his collection of Metal Gear Solid merchandise in his "Metal Geario Cabinet", and squishing on his three adorable kitties.

Some VPNs are made to make your internet browsing history as inconspicuous as possible. Other VPNs are created to help gamers create Virtual Local Area Networks (VLANs) so they can play their favorite games with friends. Radmin VPN falls into the latter category — rather than working like your typical VPN, it connects your network to other trusted sources, making game nights a breeze and ensuring that your data is still safe.

I've slowly started messing around with creating private servers for some of my favorite games, like Palworld and RUST, but when it comes to classic games or games that have more players? I've been testing out Radmin VPN to save myself some headaches, and I have to say that it's become a common game-night tool for my crew and me.

Classic games get new life with Radmin VPN

While Rainbow Six: Siege may be the newest entry in the storied franchise, my favorite has always been Rainbow Six: Vegas 2. But, as with many games from the Xbox 360/PS3 era, the online mode has long since been discontinued. If you've had it on a PC, or you've just repurchased it as I have, playing online using conventional methods is no longer a thing. That's what inspired me to try Radmin VPN in the first place.

After stumbling upon an article by Radmin Club that showed me how easy it was to get Rainbow Six: Vegas 2 up and running on the web, I was completely sold on the premise. Getting to revisit one of my all-time favorite games with my group of friends has been nothing short of incredible so far, and I've learned that it also has many benefits for newer titles as well.

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Newer games work just as well over a LAN connection

Run a Minecraft server with Radmin, connect over LAN, and save a few bucks

While Radmin VPN may be highly recommended for older games like Saints Row 2 or Rainbow Six: Vegas 2, it's also incredibly useful for newer games. Minecraft, ARK, and other games all feature the ability to join via LAN, and rather than potentially purchasing a second PC to run a server on or renting a private server, using Radmin VPN can give you the same type of result in a quarter of the time.

Setup is incredibly simple. Grab your dedicated IP from Radmin, have your friends connect directly to it from their own Radmin client, and start playing together. No config files needed, no secondary PC needed, no need to alter your QoS or do port forwarding, and most importantly, no threat of bad actors. Seeing as players will need to connect directly to one another via the Radmin VPN client, you shouldn't have to worry about griefers or other players ruining your sessions.

Radmin VPN is completely free for all users

You don't need to upgrade to a specific tier to join in on the fun with your friends

Before building my own PC in 2020, I was primarily a console player. I was used to spending money each month to play online with my friends, regardless of whether it was for Xbox Live, PSN, or Nintendo Switch Online. Free online gaming is one of the best benefits of PC Gaming, outside of enhanced visuals and mod support, but I was shocked to see that Radmin also came at no cost. Seeing as renting a server through ShockByte or other outlets typically costs some cash, I was fully expecting to throw $10 a month at Radmin.

But everything that Radmin VPN is capable of is done at no cost. Maybe it's because it forgoes the typical "VPN" experience in exchange for just being a virtual LAN network, but I am genuinely shocked to see that no money is required to keep your sessions running. Especially with how well everything works — even larger groups of people in a game like Minecraft didn't cause any issues.

Unfortunately, Radmin doesn't work for every game and OS

But if a game has a LAN option, it should work just fine

Trying to get older games working on newer hardware can be a chore. Just ask anyone who has ever tried to play vanilla Fallout: New Vegas on modern hardware how their non-modded experience goes. While it may feel like Radmin VPN is a miracle product, it works in only specific use cases. If a game doesn't have an option to connect via LAN, then it won't work with Radmin, even if you're hoping and praying that it will.

There's also another issue. There's currently no native Linux support for Radmin VPN, so players who have migrated to a gaming-centric Linux distro may need to find a replacement for this particular program. While I absolutely adore using Nobara as a secondary installation on my main desktop, I'm bound to Windows if I want to play games that require a VPN.

Radmin is safe, free, and most importantly, secure

While it doesn't function like a traditional VPN, it's still encrypted and safe

Radmin VPN is something that feels almost essential for gamers hoping to relive the glory days of their favorite games. Getting to play RS: V2 with friends online in the year 2026 feels like a dream come true, and it only took one quick download to make it happen. Plus, Radmin is encrypted with end-to-end 256-bit AES encryption, as well as a built-in firewall according to its security policy.

At this point, I'm just jazzed to know that I can revisit some of my old favorites with new friends. With more and more games randomly getting their servers pulled, either due to age or lack of players, having an alternate way to connect is astonishingly cool. Plus, it gives us oldheads a way to show the youngsters our l33t skillz and why multiplayer games of the older generation are so much better than the micro-transaction-filled ones of today. If someone wants to 1v1 you on Rust in COD 4, just use Radmin to make it happen.

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