v2rayN Setup Guide: From Subscription Import to Connection Verification
Complete these four steps in order: import the subscription, choose a proxy mode, start the connection, and verify the result. This page covers only the essentials for first-time setup; see the full manual for protocol parameters, routing rules, and TUN details.
Import Subscription
Add the URL and update the group
02
Proxy Mode
Define which traffic needs a proxy
03
Start Connection
Select a node and enable the proxy
04
Verify Result
Cross-check status and logs
Done
Prepare
Confirm the client and subscription URL before you begin
Prepare the correct client, a working subscription URL, and a stable basic network connection before starting configuration.
If the client is not installed, visit the download page and choose the right platform. Use v2rayN on desktop and v2rayNG on Android. After installation, open the client but do not immediately change advanced routing or core parameters. Quick setup uses only four areas: subscription management, the node list, proxy mode, and the connection switch. Keeping the default logging level and transport settings makes it easier to identify which step is causing a problem.
A subscription URL is usually a complete link beginning with https://. Copy every character, including the ending path and query parameters. Treat the URL as a configuration credential: keep it only on your own devices or in a trusted password manager, and never paste it into public chats, screenshots, or issue reports. If the provider gives you several URLs, import just one at first. Add other groups after the workflow is confirmed to avoid multiple groups with indistinguishable node names.
Client Installed
The main interface opens normally, and the system time and network connection are working properly.
Complete Subscription URL
Copy the original URL without adding spaces or explanatory text before or after it.
Basic Network Available
With the client proxy disabled, commonly used local websites still open normally.
01
Import the Subscription and Update the Node List
The goal is to make the subscription group appear in the client and confirm that it contains node entries.
v2rayN Desktop Steps
Open v2rayN and find “Subscription Groups” or the “Subscriptions” menu at the top of the main window, then open the subscription group settings. Click Add and enter an easy-to-recognize name in the remark or alias field, such as “Common Subscription.” Paste the complete subscription URL into the address field. The name is only for local identification and does not change the subscription. Before saving, check the beginning, end, and middle of the URL for spaces, then click Add or OK to return to the main window.
Saving a subscription entry does not mean that its nodes have been downloaded. Return to the main window and run “Update All Subscriptions,” or update the group you just added. Watch the status bar or log area during the update. When it succeeds, the group name you set appears on the left and the nodes supplied by the subscription appear in the list on the right. The names, protocols, and addresses come from the subscription and do not need manual editing. Stay on the node list for now; do not enable the system proxy until you have chosen a proxy mode.
v2rayNG Android Steps
Open v2rayNG and enter “Subscription Group Settings” from the side menu or the top-right menu. Tap Add, enter a remark, paste the subscription URL, and save it. Return to the main screen and use the menu to run “Update Subscription.” When the update finishes, selectable configuration entries should appear in the main list. If the page is still empty, pull down to refresh once. If nothing appears, check that the group is enabled and that the URL contains no line breaks or spaces.
Some versions automatically select the first entry after an update; others only refresh the list without changing the current selection. Do not confuse “the list is populated” with “the connection is active.” This stage is complete only when the subscription group is visible and it contains configuration entries. Once both conditions are met, continue to proxy mode settings.
02
Choose the Right Proxy Mode for the Task
The proxy mode determines which requests the client handles. It is a separate issue from whether a node is usable.
Once the subscription update is complete, decide which traffic should be proxied. In v2rayN, the usual controls are the “System Proxy” and “Routing” menus at the bottom of the window, though they may also be available from the tray icon’s context menu. For a first setup, choose “Auto Configure System Proxy” and use “Bypass LAN and Mainland China” as the routing mode. This lets applications that support system proxy settings use the client while keeping LAN addresses and common direct-connection targets on their normal path, making it suitable for a basic connection check.
If you need to check whether a specific target is reachable through the selected node, temporarily use “Global” mode as a comparison. Global mode sends a broader range of traffic through the client, so switch back to split routing when testing is finished. Manual rules are intended for users who understand the matching order for domains, IPs, inbounds, and outbounds; they are not recommended for a first setup. With too many rules, a usable node may still leave some sites inaccessible because the matching order differs from what you expect.
On Android, v2rayNG usually lets you choose the mode under “Routing Settings” in the side menu. Return to the main screen after choosing it; there is no need to repeatedly start and stop the connection at this point. When you start a connection on Android, the system displays a connection confirmation dialog. The client can take over the relevant traffic only after you allow it. If you have already granted permission, Android may not show the prompt again; this is normal interface behavior.
TUN mode can cover more applications that do not read system proxy settings, but it involves a virtual network interface, DNS, and routing control. This quick guide does not treat TUN as required for a first connection. First use the system proxy to verify browsing, confirm that the subscription, node, and basic connection all work, then decide whether to enable TUN for specific software. For how TUN, DNS, and routing rules work together, continue with the TUN chapter in the full manual.
03
Select a Node and Start the Connection
After choosing the mode, set one node as the active configuration and enable the proxy.
Return to the node list and select an entry from the subscription group you just updated. In v2rayN, you can usually double-click a node or use the context menu to choose “Set as Active Server.” A color change, check mark, or selected state indicates success, and the active node name may appear at the bottom of the window. The node name is only a label supplied by the provider; do not judge quality by the name alone. For a first test, choose any available entry.
Next, set the system proxy to “Auto Configure System Proxy.” If v2rayN is already running but the browser still uses an old connection, close the existing tabs and open a new one for testing. Some applications read proxy settings only at startup; in that case, exit the application completely and reopen it after enabling the system proxy. Do not run multiple clients that modify the system proxy at once, because the last one started may overwrite the earlier setting and leave the displayed state different from the system’s actual state.
On the v2rayNG main screen, tap a configuration to make it current, then tap the connection button at the bottom. Confirm the connection request when Android prompts you for the first connection. After startup, the bottom button and top status area will change, and a connection indicator will appear in the system status bar. Do not switch nodes repeatedly right away: each switch interrupts the current connection and establishes a new session. Keep the current node for the next verification step, then compare other nodes after confirming the workflow.
An enabled connection button only shows that the client has started working; it does not by itself prove that the target request went through the node. Confirm the result with a new connection, the client logs, and a comparison with the proxy disabled. The next step follows this order so you do not draw conclusions from the icon alone.
04
Verify That the Proxy Is Working
Confirm it using the access result, client logs, and an on/off comparison instead of relying on a single status icon.
1
Create a New Connection
Open a new browser window or tab and visit a familiar site that clearly requires the selected proxy mode. Do not simply refresh a long-running page: the browser may reuse its existing connection, so the result will not reflect the proxy setting you just changed.
2
Watch the Logs
Return to the client and check its logs or connection information. When a new request is made, you should see a connection record, target domain, or routing detail. Completely empty logs usually mean the application is not using the system proxy or the request was served from an existing cached connection.
3
Run an On/Off Comparison
Record the result while the proxy is enabled, then disable the system proxy or stop the Android connection and repeat the visit in a new browser tab. A meaningful difference between the two states confirms that the traffic path changes with the switch as expected.
If the target page opens normally with the proxy enabled, a new connection record appears in the logs, and disabling the proxy produces the expected comparison result, the first setup is complete. Restore the proxy state you need, close the test page, and begin normal use. There is no need to chase a fixed latency number during verification or judge the connection by the node name alone. Network conditions, time of day, and the target service all affect results; a stable real connection is a more useful measure.
If the target page will not open, do not reinstall the client immediately. Return to step three, switch to another node in the same group, and test with a new browser connection. If every node fails, check whether the logs show a subscription format error, connection timeout, DNS issue, certificate time problem, or target refusal. If only certain sites fail, check the routing mode and rule matching first rather than assuming the entire subscription is unusable.
After Setup
Daily use takes only three repeatable actions
After the first setup is complete, you do not need to re-import the subscription or reconfigure everything each time.
When starting your day, open the client and confirm that the current node is still available before enabling the system proxy or Android connection switch. When changing nodes, switch within the same subscription group and wait for the connection to re-establish before opening the target page. Subscription content is maintained remotely, so update it only when the node list is stale, the provider announces an update, or your own update schedule is due. Frequent updates will not improve the current connection and may change the node list while it is in use.
When you are finished, disable the system proxy or stop the Android connection before exiting the client. On desktop, ending the process without restoring the system proxy may leave some applications reading an invalid local proxy port, making the browser appear offline. If the network behaves abnormally after exit, reopen v2rayN, switch the system proxy to “Clear System Proxy,” and then exit normally.
Keep one stable baseline configuration: one commonly used subscription group, one daily routing mode, and one node that has been verified to connect. When adding rules, enabling TUN, or changing DNS, change only one item and test it immediately. This makes it easy to roll back and identify the source of a change in the logs. To study protocols, the core, routing priority, and maintenance strategies, continue with the complete guide from beginner to advanced.
Troubleshooting
Work Back Through the Steps When the Connection Fails
Check each layer from subscription and node to mode and application connection, changing only one setting at a time.
The Subscription List Is Empty
Return to subscription management, confirm that the group is enabled and the URL is complete, then run the update again. Saving the URL and updating the node list are separate actions; saving alone does not generate nodes.
A Node Is Selected but the Page Does Not Change
Confirm that the system proxy is set to auto-configure or that the Android connection is active, then close the existing tab and create a new connection. If a desktop application was already running before the proxy was enabled, exit it completely and reopen it.
Only Some Sites Are Inaccessible
Temporarily switch to Global mode for a brief comparison. If Global works but split routing does not, focus on the routing rules. If neither mode works, switch nodes and check the connection logs.
Network Problems After Exiting the Client
Restart v2rayN and use “Clear System Proxy” to restore the system settings. Then disable the proxy before exiting the client. Do not keep multiple proxy tools running at the same time.
Continue Reading
Split Routing, TUN, and Log Diagnostics
Quick connection setup is complete. To understand VMess, VLESS, core components, routing priority, DNS, and long-term maintenance, continue chapter by chapter in the full manual.