v2rayN Setup Guide: From Subscription to First Connection
Once you have the client and a working subscription URL, follow these steps to import it, choose a mode, connect, and test your connection. Configure only what you need at each step; see the Advanced handbook for in-depth routing, DNS, and TUN settings.
Import a subscription
Install and open the client for your platform: v2rayN on desktop or v2rayNG on Android. If you haven’t installed it yet, choose the right version for your system on the downloads page. Your service provider supplies the subscription URL. Unlike a share link for a single server, a subscription usually includes multiple server entries and can be updated later. Copy the full URL, making sure it doesn’t include any extra spaces or line breaks. Don’t paste your subscription URL on a public page or share it with anyone who doesn’t need it; it may contain access credentials.
In v2rayN, open Subscription Group or the equivalent settings option, add a group, and enter a recognizable name and the full subscription URL. Save it, return to the main window, and update the new group from the subscription menu. When the update finishes, servers from that group should appear in the list. The name is only for your reference and won’t change the server settings, so you can leave the other subscription options at their defaults the first time around. If you have multiple groups, make sure you update the one you just added so you don’t mistake an old list for the newly imported subscription.
In v2rayNG, open Subscription Settings from the side menu. Add the URL and a name, save, then update the subscription. Return to the server list and make sure the entries appear. On Android, adding and updating may be separate actions; if you only save the URL without updating, the main list may remain empty. Some versions also let you import a single configuration from the clipboard. This guide uses subscription updates so you can manage the server list later.
If the list is still empty after updating, check that the URL is complete, the subscription hasn’t expired, and your provider doesn’t require specific network conditions. Look for subscription-related messages in the client logs to tell whether the request failed or completed without returning usable entries. Don’t keep changing proxy modes when there are no servers in the list: the proxy switch routes traffic but can’t provide server configurations. Once you see entries in the list, continue to the next step.
Choose a proxy mode
Once the server list is ready, decide which app traffic should go through the client. In v2rayN for desktop, System Proxy and routing are separate settings. System Proxy determines whether apps that follow the operating system’s proxy settings send requests to the client; routing determines which outbound the client uses for those requests. For a first-time setup, use the client’s standard rule mode and enable Auto-configure system proxy. This makes issues easier to diagnose than changing ports, DNS, and custom routes all at once.
Find System Proxy in the v2rayN tray menu or main window and select Auto-configure system proxy, or the equivalent option in your version. Check that the menu shows it as enabled, then confirm the routing mode is set to the rule mode you want. Rule mode handles different destinations according to configured rules; global mode sends all requests that reach the client through the current proxy outbound. “Global” doesn’t mean every app on your device connects automatically: apps that ignore the system proxy may still connect directly. To configure a specific app manually, use the local HTTP or SOCKS listening address and port shown in the client—not the remote server address.
On macOS, check the proxy status for your active network service in System Settings. The system proxy controls may be elsewhere in other desktop environments. If the system proxy switch can’t update your settings, check the client’s permissions and active network service before configuring a local proxy in your browser. Avoid letting multiple proxy clients change the system proxy at the same time, or it may be hard to tell which settings are active. After switching networks, check that the system proxy still points to the current client.
v2rayNG doesn’t require you to enter the desktop proxy port manually in Android’s system settings. It routes device traffic through the system VPN service. The first time you connect, Android will ask for permission; review the prompt and allow the connection. Leave per-app proxy and bypass rules at their defaults until you’ve confirmed your first connection. For details on domain matching and DNS resolution, see the routing and DNS section of the Advanced handbook. Once you’ve chosen a mode, select a server and connect.
Connect to a server
Return to the v2rayN server list, select an entry from the group you just imported, and use the list controls to set it as the active server. Depending on your version, you may need to double-click, use the right-click menu, or choose an option in the toolbar. Make sure the active-server indicator moves to your chosen entry; a highlighted row alone doesn’t confirm it’s active. Check that the client core is running and that the system proxy is still set as described in the previous section. Selecting a server and enabling the system proxy are separate actions. If either is missing, your browser may not work as expected.
You don’t need to run a batch speed test for your first connection. A speed test measures a specific request or connection stage; by itself, it can’t confirm that webpages will load. Start with a complete server entry from your subscription and check the logs for repeated connection errors. If the list has multiple entries, try another one without changing the proxy mode. Change one thing at a time so you can tell whether a problem is with the server or your local settings.
In v2rayNG, tap a server in the list, then tap Connect on the main screen. The first time you connect, Android will ask for VPN permission. Allow it, then check that the client shows a running status and Android displays a VPN connection indicator. If you denied permission earlier, restart the connection process and respond to the system prompt. The indicator only confirms that the service started; it doesn’t guarantee that the selected server can handle requests. Test actual access in the next step.
If the client stops as soon as it starts, check the logs for details. A local port conflict on desktop usually appears as a listener error. Close other apps using the same port, or change the listening port in the client settings. If you change the port, update it in any browsers or terminals where you configured the proxy manually. If the logs show an authentication, transport, or resolution error, check the subscription update instead of repeatedly clicking Connect. Note when the error occurs: before startup, after startup, or after you make a webpage request.
Test your connection
Keep the client running. In your usual browser, open a webpage you know should work, then try another site with a different destination. Don’t rely solely on a “Connected” status in the client; it may only mean the local service is running. Check whether the pages load, whether the client logs show the corresponding requests, and whether routing handles them as expected. In rule mode, different destinations may use different outbounds, so one webpage can’t tell you how all traffic is routed.
On desktop, also check that v2rayN is still managing the operating system’s proxy settings. If webpages load but no new requests appear in the client logs, check whether the browser has its own proxy configuration, whether the active network service has changed, or whether another app has overridden the system proxy. If you configured a local proxy manually, make sure its address and port match the client’s actual listening settings. Don’t enter the remote server’s port as the browser’s local proxy port: the browser connects to a listener on your device.
In v2rayNG, make sure the system VPN connection is still running, then test access in your browser the same way. If only one app can’t connect, check whether it’s excluded from per-app proxying. If no apps can connect, check the client logs and selected server first. Android battery optimization and background restrictions may stop the service when you leave the client. For your first test, keep the client in the foreground; once the connection works, check your background activity settings.
If you still can’t connect, check these in order: did the subscription update add server entries? Is the correct server active? Is the system proxy or VPN service enabled? Do the logs show the request? Then check routing rules and DNS. After each check, reload the same test page rather than changing several settings at once. If the basic connection works but specific domains or apps behave differently, see the Advanced handbook for routing rules, DNS, and TUN mode. When you’re done, turn off the system proxy or disconnect the VPN from the client, then confirm your system settings are back to the state you want.
After your first connection
Read the Advanced handbook when you’re ready to manage multiple subscriptions, write routing rules, or configure TUN. Keep a working basic configuration, and test each advanced setting as you change it.
Read the Advanced handbook →