v2rayN Setup Guide: From Subscription Import to Connection Verification

Before you begin, have the client installed and obtain the subscription URL from your service provider. A subscription URL is usually a link beginning with https:// that lets the client retrieve server configurations. It is not a regular web address and does not need to be opened in a browser first. When copying it, select from the first character through the last to avoid including spaces, line breaks, or a period automatically added by a messaging app.

If the client is not installed, visit the download page and choose the version for your current system. Use v2rayN on desktop devices and v2rayNG on Android devices. After installing or extracting the client, launch it once and confirm that the main window opens normally. After you close the desktop window, it may remain in the system tray. If you cannot find it later, reopen it from the tray instead of starting multiple processes.

Also check that the device date, time, and time zone are correct. VLESS, Trojan, REALITY, and TLS-based configurations use certificate and handshake time checks. If the system clock is significantly off, the client may appear to be running while the connection fails during the handshake. Enable automatic time synchronization before importing the subscription. You do not need to change the core, port, Mux, or DNS in advance; keeping the defaults makes it easier to identify the failing step.

After importing the server configurations, do not immediately edit every protocol parameter. First decide which app traffic the client should handle. On desktop, distinguish between “System Proxy” and “Routing Mode”: the system proxy tells browsers and other apps to send requests to v2rayN, while the routing mode determines whether incoming requests use a direct connection or the proxy rules. These settings serve different purposes, so enabling only one may not produce the expected result.

Start with Automatic System Proxy on Desktop

In the v2rayN main window’s bottom status bar or system tray menu, find “System Proxy.” For the first setup, choose “Set System Proxy.” The status bar usually shows the current system proxy state, and the tray icon may look different depending on the version. This mode points the system proxy settings to v2rayN’s local listening port and works well for browsers and desktop apps that follow the system proxy.

If you want only apps with manually entered proxy addresses to use the client, you can leave “Clear System Proxy” selected and enter the local HTTP or SOCKS port shown by v2rayN in the target app. However, this is an app-specific setup and is not recommended for initial verification. To reduce variables, this guide continues with “Set System Proxy.” When you finish, choose “Clear System Proxy” from the same location to restore the system’s normal connection settings.

Start Routing with Standard Split Tunneling

Open “Routing Settings” or the routing mode menu at the bottom and choose “Bypass LAN and mainland China” or an equivalent preset in your version. This mode keeps LAN addresses and common direct destinations on the original connection while sending other matching traffic through the current server. It is a practical starting point for everyday use and makes it easier to see which path a website uses. With “Global,” more traffic is handed to the client, but local sites and LAN devices may also be affected.

Here, “Global” refers to the routing scope; it does not mean every program must pass through the client. Some apps ignore the system proxy or use their own network stack, so they may connect directly even when v2rayN is using global routing. Covering more network types involves TUN, DNS, and administrator permissions; these topics are explained separately in the Multi-Platform Guide. For now, use the system proxy for a repeatable test.

Confirm the Connection Scope on Android

v2rayNG usually lets the system create a local network interface after you tap Connect, so it does not have exactly the same “System Proxy” switch as the desktop app. For the first setup, leave “Per-app proxy” disabled so the system handles the connection globally. If it was enabled previously, check Settings and make sure the target browser is included in the allowed list. If the list mode is reversed, the client may show Connected while the selected app bypasses the current configuration.

Routing settings can also start with a preset; there is no need to write custom domain or IP rules before the first connection. Confirm the basic connection first, then add rules as needed. This keeps subscription, server, and routing issues separate. Once this step is complete, the proxy scope is clear; the next step is to select one configuration and connect.

Do not rely only on the client button’s color. A running status means the local service has started; expected browser access confirms that app traffic, the system proxy, routing rules, and the current configuration form a complete path. The simplest test is to open a new browser window and visit a page you genuinely need, while keeping the client log visible.

If the target page opens normally, visit a commonly used direct-access page to confirm that both types of traffic behave as expected under the preset route. Refresh several times and watch for stability. The desktop log should show new connection entries; on Android, the log page should show request handling related to the current configuration. You do not need to understand every line—focus on whether clear errors keep appearing and whether the log changes when requests are made.

Separate Browser Cache from a Real Connection

A page that was already open may load from cache and fail to reflect the current connection. Use a new private window or test a specific page you have not opened before. You can also disconnect the client, refresh once, then reconnect and refresh again for comparison. A clear difference between the two results usually indicates that the system proxy and routing participated in handling the request.

If only one browser fails while other apps that follow the system proxy work normally, first check whether that browser has an independent proxy, proxy extension, or secure DNS setting. An independent setting can override the system proxy and prevent the browser from using v2rayN’s current port. Restore “Use system proxy,” restart the browser, and test again. If every app fails, return to the client status, server configuration, and local network layers.

A Practical Daily Startup Order

You do not need to add the subscription again each time. The usual order is: start the client, update the subscription if needed, select a configuration, confirm the system proxy or Android connection status, and then open the target app. An update may replace or add servers, but it cannot determine which configuration suits the current network. If one configuration fails, compare it with another from the same subscription.

Before finishing on desktop, choose “Clear System Proxy” from the tray menu, then exit v2rayN. This prevents the system from retaining a proxy pointing to a local port after the client has stopped. On Android, tap the connect button to disconnect. If the desktop client exits unexpectedly and ordinary web pages suddenly stop opening, restart v2rayN and clear the system proxy, or disable the leftover proxy in the system network settings.