VPN beginners tend to ask the same handful of questions: what you need to sign up, how to import a subscription link, whether several devices can share one account, how data is counted, whether speeds get throttled, and what happens once a plan expires. This guide answers all ten in the order you'll meet them, with steps you can follow directly — enough to take you from installing the client to confirming the connection works.
Before you start: how the client, the subscription link, and routes fit together
Three terms confuse beginners most. The client is the app on your device; it sends traffic to a route according to your rules. The subscription link is one address holding your account, routes, and parameters — paste it into the client and the route list appears on its own. A route is the server-side exit: it decides which country or region your requests leave from, and whether they take a direct connection or a dedicated line. Think of it this way: the client is the car, the subscription link is the key, and the routes are the roads.
Most clients don't need you to enter protocol settings by hand. The subscription link already carries the protocol, port, and encryption method, so once it's imported the client picks a working combination itself. All you do is choose a route from the list.
Do you need to pick a protocol yourself?
After you import a subscription, names such as Shadowsocks, VMess, Trojan, VLESS, Hysteria2, and TUIC may show up in the client. They describe how data is packaged and carried: Shadowsocks and VMess are the oldest and the most compatible; Trojan and VLESS run over TLS, so the handshake looks much like an ordinary HTTPS visit; Hysteria2 and TUIC are built on QUIC and hold up better when the network drops packets. Beginners don't need to agonize over the choice — the default in your subscription is already tuned per route, so switch manually only if a particular route misbehaves.
Direct, relay, and IEPL: what's the difference?
The labels “Direct,” “Relay,” and “IEPL” in the route list describe how data travels, not how fast a route is. The real difference is whether the cross-border leg runs over the public internet or a dedicated line:
| Route type | How data travels | Characteristics | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Direct | The client connects straight to an overseas exit node | Simple setup; the cross-border leg uses the public internet and can be unstable at peak hours | Everyday browsing, backup route |
| Relay | You connect first to a relay node, which forwards traffic to the overseas exit | The cross-border leg can be optimized; steadier than direct, with one extra hop | Everyday use, streaming |
| IEPL dedicated line | The cross-border leg runs on a carrier's dedicated line and never touches the public internet | Latency and packet loss are more controllable; costs more | Long-lived connections, meetings, AI tool logins |
Once the connection is up, traffic between the client and the route travels through a military-grade encrypted tunnel; on the local network, only ciphertext is visible.
Signing up and installing: the first two steps that trip people up
Q1 · What you need to sign up
A username and password are all it takes — no email address, and no verification email to wait for. Fill them in and log in; the account is what your subscription hangs on. Use a password you don't share with your main email, and you can re-copy the subscription link from the user panel whenever you like, without signing up again.
Q2 · Where to get the client, and how to import a subscription
Log in to the user panel and open the download page, then pick the client that matches your device's operating system. Once it's installed, import the subscription in this order:
- Copy the subscription link in the user panel (usually labeled “Subscription URL” or “One-click import”).
- Open the client, choose “Import from clipboard” or “Add subscription,” paste, and save.
- Click “Update subscription” once so the route list refreshes.
- Pick a route from the list, turn the connection switch on, and wait for the status to read Connected.
The main difference between platforms is the system permission step: on macOS, the first connection asks you to allow a network extension or VPN configuration; on iOS, an “Allow VPN Configuration” prompt appears; on Windows and Android, you usually confirm a permission once. You only authorize once — after that, open the client and connect.
A subscription link works as your account credentials: it contains your account, routes, and parameters, so forwarding it to someone else is the same as sharing your account. When you change devices, just use the same subscription — there's no need to sign up again.
Devices, data, and throttling: the four questions that come up most in everyday use
Q3 · Can several devices be online at the same time?
Yes. One account covers an unlimited number of devices, with five online at once. iOS devices, computers, and tablets each connect on their own — no separate subscription for each one. The spare phone you take on trips and the desktop at home can both stay connected.
Q4 · How is data counted?
The two billing models come with two sets of data rules. A monthly subscription resets its data on the day you started it each month, and the client shows how much you've used and how much is left in the current cycle. A data pack lasts until it runs out and never expires — a good fit if your usage swings up and down and you'd rather not be tied to a monthly cycle. Which one suits you depends on whether you use it every day or in occasional bursts.
Q5 · Will speeds be throttled?
Slow speeds usually come from one of three places: your local network's upstream policy (common on corporate or campus networks), congestion on the cross-border public internet at peak hours, and the bandwidth ceiling of the route itself. The first two have nothing to do with which service you use; the third you can fix by switching routes — try different ones at the same moment and the gap is usually obvious. The latency shown in the client is only a reference, so don't obsess over picking the smallest number; connect and open a few sites you use often, and the real experience tells you more.
Q6 · Should I leave it on all the time?
It depends on what you're doing. Tools that need a long-lived login (online documents, AI tools, remote meetings) are best left connected — switching exits mid-session tends to break them. If you're only looking something up now and then, turn it off when you're done. On public Wi-Fi, leave it on: the encrypted tunnel covers the risk on that stretch of network.
- ✅ One account, unlimited devices, five online at once — no need to buy a separate plan for each device.
- ✅ A monthly subscription resets its data on the day you started it each month; a data pack lasts until it runs out and never expires.
- ❌ Don't forward your subscription link to anyone — it works as your account credentials.
- ❌ If you can't connect, don't reinstall the client first: switch routes, then check your local network, and only then consider reinstalling.
How to pick a route: choose by purpose, not by name
Q7 · There are so many routes — which one should a beginner choose?
The route list is grouped by country and region, covering 120+ countries and 190+ routes, each labeled with its type and best use. Picking one can follow the same three steps every time:
- Narrow it down by purpose first: for streaming and AI tools, prefer a dedicated line; for everyday browsing, choose relay or direct.
- Then look at the type: IEPL dedicated lines are steadier than relay, and relay steadier than direct — the price order is the same.
- Finally, among routes of the same type, pick one with lower latency and open a few sites you use often to confirm.
The takeaway: beginners don't need to study protocol details — pick in three steps (purpose → route type → latency), connect first and fine-tune later. Connect to one route at a time; the gains from hopping around looking for the “fastest” one are far smaller than the difference a stable route makes.
How to confirm a route is really working: exit and split routing
Q8 · How do I confirm a route is really working?
Check two things. First, the exit location: open a network check page and see whether the detected IP location matches the route you chose. Second, DNS: if the client still hands domain resolution to your local ISP, you get a DNS leak — the typical sign is a location that looks right while some sites won't load or redirect to the local version. Run through these four checks and you'll know whether the route is working:
- The location of the exit IP matches the route you selected.
- DNS resolution doesn't come from your local ISP.
- Sites you use often behave differently with the route on versus off, and show the right language and region.
- The client shows Connected rather than sitting on “Connecting” for a long time.
Should I change the split-routing rules?
Split-routing rules decide which traffic goes through a route and which connects directly. In rule mode, sites in mainland China connect directly while traffic to destinations outside China goes through a route — the least fuss for daily use; in global mode, all traffic goes through a route, which is useful for troubleshooting; direct mode is the same as temporarily turning the route off. Leave it in rule mode by default, and if a particular app isn't going through the route, add it to the rules separately.
Seeing a page load doesn't mean the route is working. Local caches and nearby CDN nodes can make pages display normally, so judge by the exit location and DNS results instead.
Expiry, refunds, and support: the last two questions
Q9 · What happens when my subscription expires?
When it expires, the routes stop working but the account itself stays. A data pack lasts until it runs out and never expires, so you can come back and keep using it whenever you renew; a monthly subscription resets on the day you started it each month, and routes come back after you renew. If you're worried about forgetting to renew, you can check the current cycle and remaining data in the user panel at any time.
Q10 · Who do I contact if something goes wrong, and can I get a refund?
Start with the help center — common questions and setup steps for each platform are all there. If that doesn't solve it, open a ticket in the user panel. Include your device's OS, the client name, the route name, and a screenshot of the error, and it'll be handled much faster. You can request a refund within 14 days of purchase, no reason needed.
Remember this: no email address needed to sign up, unlimited devices on one account, and a refund within 14 days if you're not satisfied. Everything else maps to the ten questions above.