v2rayN Setup Guide

01 Add a Subscription

In the v2rayN main window, open the Subscription Group menu and choose Subscription Group Settings. Add a group, enter a recognizable name, then paste the full subscription URL into the address field. Save and close the settings window. The name is only for identifying the source and won't affect the connection. The main list may still be empty: saving the URL and fetching nodes are separate steps, so you'll need to update the subscription manually.

Return to the Subscription Group menu and choose Update Subscription. If the menu offers “Update without proxy” and “Update through proxy,” try updating without a proxy first, since you haven't established a working connection yet. Wait for the result, then select the group you just added to view its nodes. If the update succeeds but no nodes appear, check that another group isn't selected and that no name filter is active. Don't immediately add the same URL again.

In v2rayNG, open Subscription Group Settings from the side menu, tap Add, enter a name and subscription URL, then save. Return to the home screen and choose Update Subscription from the top-right menu. Nodes should appear when the update finishes; tap one to select it. Depending on the version, the selected node may be marked with a side indicator or highlight. Scrolling to a node doesn't select it.

If you have a single share link, you don't need to create a subscription group first. Copy the entire link. In v2rayN, use the import-from-clipboard option in the Server menu; in v2rayNG, choose import from clipboard in the home screen's Add menu. You can import a QR code containing the same connection details using the client's scan option. After importing, check that the node name, protocol, and server address look right. Don't change connection parameters just to make the name look better.

For your first test, choose a node that the provider says is available and whose protocol is supported by the client's core. Region, speed multiplier, and route labels in a node's name are just for reference; they don't prove the connection works. You can run the client's latency test for an initial check, but a successful result doesn't guarantee that your browser will work or that every website will use that node.

Once the node list appears and you've selected a node, don't change a bunch of transport settings at once. Next, configure how traffic reaches the client. This helps prevent a situation where nodes appear in the list but your browser still connects by its usual route.

02 Choose a Proxy Mode

Two separate settings are involved here: the system proxy or VPN entry point determines whether app traffic reaches the client; routing rules determine where that traffic goes next. Switching to global routing doesn't automatically make every program use the proxy. Likewise, enabling the system proxy doesn't mean every request goes through a remote node. Understand these two layers first so you can interpret the test results later.

For your first v2rayN session, start with the system proxy. Find the system proxy option in the tray icon's right-click menu or at the bottom of the main window. Check that options such as “Set system proxy” and “Clear system proxy” are available. For now, just locate the controls; you'll enable the proxy after choosing an active server in the next step. Keep the client's default listening port—there's no need to change it to match a tutorial.

Next, check the routing setting. Start with a built-in preset and choose one suited to your use case, following its description. If you need different destinations to use direct or proxied connections, choose the corresponding split-routing preset. To check whether a particular website is being routed directly, you can temporarily use global proxy routing for comparison, then switch back when you're done. Preset names vary, so read the rule descriptions rather than assuming what “rule” or “global” means.

Don't enable TUN and the system proxy at the same time for your first setup. TUN involves a virtual network interface, permissions, and additional routing configuration; explore it separately after confirming the basic connection works. A browser test is enough to check whether the subscription and node work together. If you need other programs to use the client, first check whether they respect the system proxy. That way, you avoid changing several variables at once.

In v2rayNG, routing options are usually in Settings. Start with a built-in preset rather than writing custom rules. If per-app proxy is enabled, check how it works: some settings proxy the apps you select, while others bypass the proxy for selected apps. Make sure your test browser is covered by the intended setting; otherwise, the client may be running while the browser bypasses it entirely.

Keep these choices in mind: use the system proxy on desktop, the system VPN on Android, and a clearly defined routing preset. Once the basic connection works, see the routing configuration reference for details on domain matching order, outboundTag, and DNS policies. Don't add custom rules yet; continue to the connection step.

03 Start the Connection

In the v2rayN node list, set the node you want to test as the active server. Depending on the version, you may be able to double-click it, but check the active indicator in the list or the status bar to confirm. A highlighted row alone doesn't necessarily mean the node is active. Once it switches over, wait for the core to reload, then set the system proxy to “Set system proxy” from the tray menu or main window.

Open the runtime log or check the log area in the main window for clear errors during startup. A successful startup usually means the local listener is running; it doesn't confirm that the remote service is reachable. If you see a port-in-use message, check whether you opened the client more than once or another proxy app is using the same port. Close duplicate instances first. Don't terminate system processes unless you know what they're for.

If the system firewall prompts you to allow network access, check the program name, file path, and scope of the permission. A proxy for your local browser usually only needs a local listener; you don't need to enable LAN access just to connect. Don't disable the entire firewall as a routine fix. If the desktop client can't update the system proxy settings, check whether an organization policy or other networking software is managing them before changing permissions.

In v2rayNG, return to the home screen, confirm the current node is highlighted, then tap Connect. The first time you connect, Android will show a VPN connection request. Review the app name and connection details, and approve it only if the request is for the v2rayNG app you just opened. This permission creates a local traffic entry point; it doesn't require installing a separate VPN app. Return to the client and check the button, status message, and system connection indicator.

If the connection drops immediately, open the app log and check for a configuration read error, an unsupported protocol field, or a permission issue. If another VPN is running, disconnect it before restarting the current connection. Android typically can't let multiple VPN connections handle traffic for the same user at the same time, and switching between them makes the status hard to interpret. Once connected, keep the app in the foreground until the test succeeds; then consider background and battery settings.

For now, don't enable automatic switching or cycle through several nodes. Keep the same node, network, and routing preset so you can match the next test with the corresponding access logs. If the logs show a startup failure, resolve it first. Browser testing only makes sense once the local entry point is running normally.

04 Test the Connection

Open your test browser, start a new tab, and visit a working website that should use the proxy. Then visit a website that should connect directly. Check that the page content and required resources load fully; don't rely on a page already open in an old tab, which may be cached. If the browser has an extension that manages its own proxy or a custom proxy address, note the settings and rule them out as a source of interference so they don't override the system settings.

Then check the client logs around the time you visited the sites. If the log level shows connection records, look for the matching timestamp and destination domain or address, and check which outbound was used. A direct connection may be expected under your routing rules; an entry using the proxy outbound means that request was routed through the node. Some versions log very little by default, so no visible entry doesn't necessarily indicate a failure. You can temporarily raise the log level to info, then restore the original setting.

To check whether your public IP has changed, use a trusted IP lookup service and compare the results before and after connecting. However, routing rules may send that service directly, and the browser may reuse an existing connection, so don't rely on a single result. Consider website loading, client access logs, and IP information together. The public IP's location may not match the region in the node name; that mismatch alone doesn't prove the client is misconfigured.

If no websites load, first check that the client is still running, the selected node is active, and the desktop system proxy is set correctly. If only some sites fail, check which outbound the rules selected for those destinations, then temporarily change the routing preset for comparison if needed. For a DNS resolution error, check the DNS settings. For a connection timeout, try another known working node without changing other options. Change one thing at a time so you can compare the results.

If your browser works but a particular app can't connect, check whether that app supports the system proxy or is excluded by v2rayNG's per-app rules. You don't need to reinstall the entire client. The desktop system proxy doesn't automatically handle traffic from every program; this is usually an issue with which apps use the entry point, not with the subscription or node. See the configuration reference for details on fields and policies when you need them.

Once the test succeeds, you can keep using the current settings and refresh the subscription only when you change nodes or the provider says it needs an update. To finish testing, choose “Clear system proxy” in v2rayN, or restore the proxy settings you noted before starting, then exit the client. Otherwise, the system may keep pointing to a local port that is no longer running. In v2rayNG, tap Disconnect and make sure the system VPN indicator disappears. Then open a regular webpage to confirm your original network connection still works.

To repeat the setup, start by checking subscription import; there's no need to delete all your settings. Once the basic steps are complete, see the inbound fields reference for listening ports, or the routing fields reference to learn how to route traffic by destination. Keep a verified working setup, then add features one at a time.