V2Ray Tutorial: From Subscription Import to Connection Verification

Importing a subscription gives the client a set of server configurations to choose from. Do not paste the subscription URL into a server address, remarks, or search field; use the dedicated Subscriptions entry instead. Desktop and Android clients place the controls differently, but both provide options such as “Add subscription” or “Subscription settings.”

v2rayN desktop steps

Open the v2rayN main window and find “Subscription groups” or the subscription management entry in the top menu, then add a new subscription. The edit window usually has two main fields: an alias and an address. The alias is only for local identification, so use a name that is easy to recognize. Paste the complete subscription URL into the address field. Check that there are no spaces around the URL, save it, return to the main window, and use the subscription menu to run “Update all subscriptions” or update the current group.

When the update finishes, the server list should contain multiple configuration entries, typically showing fields such as alias, address, port, and transport type. Confirm that the list is not empty before continuing. If the status bar says the update completed but nothing changed, check whether an empty group is selected or a filter is active. Clear the search text, switch back to the group you just created, and check again.

v2rayNG Android steps

Open the v2rayNG home screen and select Subscriptions from the top-right menu. Tap the add button, enter an easy-to-recognize name in the remarks field, paste the subscription URL into the address field, and save. Return to the subscription list, select the new entry, and update the subscription. When the update finishes, selectable configurations should appear on the home screen. If the home screen is still empty, return to Subscriptions, confirm that the entry is enabled, and update it manually once more.

A successful subscription import only means that the configuration was written to the client; it does not mean a connection has been established. Do not repeatedly import the same URL, or you may create duplicate groups or nodes. Once the server list appears, stay on the current page and confirm that at least one configuration can be selected before opening the proxy mode settings. Subscription formats, share links, and native configurations differ in several ways; see the glossary for basic definitions or continue with the subscription chapter in the complete handbook.

Once the server list appears, decide which traffic the client should handle. A proxy mode is not a node type and does not change the subscription. It determines how system applications send requests to the local proxy and how the client chooses between direct and proxied routes. For a first setup, use the system proxy with rule-based routing: it takes fewer steps and makes browser-based verification easier.

Desktop: enable the system proxy

Find “System proxy” in the v2rayN main window or tray menu. Common options include clearing the system proxy, automatically configuring it, and keeping it enabled. For a first setup, choose automatic configuration so the client writes the system proxy settings while connected. After it is enabled, the tray icon or menu status should change, and browsers and applications that follow system proxy settings will send requests through v2rayN.

Next, check the routing mode. Common options are Global, Rules, and Direct. Rules mode selects an outbound based on domains, IP addresses, and rule sets, making it a good everyday starting point. Global mode sends a broader range of requests through the current node and is mainly useful for temporarily checking whether an access issue is related to routing rules. Direct mode bypasses the remote proxy. Choose Rules mode for now, and avoid changing several variables before verification is complete.

Android: confirm the active configuration and routing

Open Settings or Routing settings from the v2rayNG home screen and choose the rule-based mode provided by the client. Depending on the version, related options may appear under names such as “Predefined rules,” “Domain strategy,” or routing configuration. The default rules are usually sufficient for a first connection. Return to the home screen, where you should see the imported configurations and a clear connection button. Do not start yet; first select the node you want to use so it becomes the active configuration.

System proxy, rule-based routing, and TUN mode operate at different layers. A system proxy depends on applications following the system settings, while TUN mode takes over a broader range of traffic at the network layer and requires the appropriate permissions. To keep the first setup clear, this page does not require TUN mode. If you need to handle applications that ignore the system proxy, read the TUN chapter in the beginner-to-advanced handbook to understand the relationship between permissions, DNS, and routing.

After configuring the proxy mode, select an active configuration from the server list. Node names are usually defined by the subscription provider and do not guarantee that a connection will work. For a first attempt, choose a fully configured node that is not marked as disabled; there is no need to run extensive speed tests. Test results reflect a specific time and method, so actual connection verification should determine whether the node works.

Set an active server in v2rayN

Click the target entry in the server list, then use the context menu or top command to set it as the active server. The selected entry usually changes color, font, or icon state. After confirming that the system proxy is enabled, watch the status bar and log area at the bottom of the window. A normal startup log shows the core loading its configuration, the local listening port being established, and the service starting. If configuration parsing errors or port conflicts continue, stop the connection before handling the error.

v2rayN usually keeps the core process running in the background, so closing the main window does not necessarily exit the client. Keep the main window open during the first verification so you can inspect the logs. To stop completely, choose Exit from the tray menu and clear the system proxy if needed. If the browser loses connectivity after the window is closed, a common cause is that the client stopped while the system proxy still points to the old local port.

Start the current configuration in v2rayNG

On the v2rayNG home screen, select the target configuration and confirm that it is marked as current, then tap the connection button at the bottom. The system will request permission to establish a local network connection. After you confirm, the status icon should change to connected and the notification area should show the running state. Return to the configuration list and make sure the current node remains selected. If the button quickly returns to a disconnected state, open the logs and inspect the first error instead of focusing only on the final repeated message.

If the connection fails, first try another node in the same subscription group. If the second node works, the problem is more likely specific to the original node configuration or service status. If every node fails, check whether the subscription was fully updated, the device time is accurate, the current network restricts connections, and the client core starts normally. Do not reinstall the client, change routing, replace DNS, and switch between multiple nodes at the same time, or it will be difficult to identify which change mattered.

A client status of “Connected” only means that the local core has started; it does not mean every request is completing as expected. Verify both the actual browsing result and the client logs. After connecting, open a new browser window or tab so cached pages do not affect the result. First visit a familiar page that normally works without a proxy to confirm that basic connectivity has not been disrupted. Then visit a destination that requires the current proxy route and check whether it loads reliably.

Keep the client logs visible during verification. When you open a new page, the logs should show a new connection entry and indicate whether the request was sent through a direct or proxied outbound. Different domains using different outbounds in Rules mode is normal. If the target page fails and the logs show no new entry, the browser or application may not be using the system proxy. If the logs show a request that immediately fails, check the current node. If only certain domains use an unexpected outbound, the routing rules are the more likely cause.

Desktop verification sequence

First confirm that the v2rayN system proxy is still enabled, then fully close and reopen the browser. Some running applications cache the network settings read at startup, so restarting removes interference from old settings. Visit two pages with different purposes and compare their domains and outbound names in the logs. If the browser works but a standalone application does not, that application may use its own proxy settings or ignore the system proxy. In that case, consider configuring a local proxy specifically for the application or evaluating TUN mode.

Android verification sequence

Confirm that v2rayNG remains connected, then reopen the application you want to test from the recent-apps screen. Test a normal page first, followed by the target connection. If only one application produces no traffic entries, check whether per-app proxy settings are enabled in v2rayNG and whether that application is excluded. For a first setup, keep per-app rules disabled until the basic connection is stable.

For a more precise routing check, search the logs for the target domain and compare the results in Rules and Global modes. Restore Rules mode after testing so temporary troubleshooting settings are not left in place. See the glossary for definitions of domain rules, IP rules, inbounds, outbounds, and DNS. To continue learning about routing and routine maintenance, open the complete beginner-to-advanced handbook.