This beginner-friendly VPN guide walks you through the process: understand the difference between a service and a client, choose a plan, pay, import your subscription, grant system permissions, and check that traffic is using the selected route. A green connection icon alone isn’t proof that it’s working—the app you need should be reachable, and your exit IP and routing should match your expectations.
How VPNs, clients, and servers fit together
A traditional VPN creates an encrypted tunnel between your device and a remote gateway. What people often call an international route subscription may instead use a proxy client to route traffic from selected apps or websites. It doesn’t necessarily take over all network traffic on your device. This distinction explains why your browser might work while a desktop app still can’t connect.
The service provides routes and the connection settings for them. The client reads those settings, connects, and applies traffic rules. A server is a remote connection option in the client, while a subscription link retrieves and updates the settings. Installing a client doesn’t give you access to a route, and paying doesn’t connect your device by itself.
Shadowsocks, VMess, Trojan, VLESS, Hysteria2, and TUIC are protocol names you may see in proxy tools—not plan tiers or regions. Client support varies, and the same protocol name doesn’t guarantee that every configuration feature is compatible. If you’re new, follow the client instructions in your dashboard to import the settings; there’s no need to assemble server addresses or edit protocol fields yourself.
Subscription links usually contain access credentials, so protect them like passwords. Don’t post them on forums, include them in screenshots, or paste them into unfamiliar online conversion tools. If you need to convert a format, use the method provided by the service whenever possible.
Choose a plan: monthly subscription or data pack
Start with how often you’ll use the service, then consider your data needs. A monthly plan can suit frequent research and collaboration; a data pack may work better for occasional trips or one-off tasks. Video streaming, file downloads, and cloud sync all use data, so don’t estimate consumption based only on web browsing.
| Plan type | Price | Data | Validity and renewal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | ¥9.9 / month | 60GB / month | Resets monthly on the activation date |
| Monthly subscription | ¥18 / month | 250GB / month | Resets monthly on the activation date |
| Monthly subscription | ¥28 / month | 500GB / month | Resets monthly on the activation date |
| Data pack | ¥158 | 300GB | Use it whenever you like; it never expires |
| Data pack | ¥358 | 1000GB | Use it whenever you like; it never expires |
| Data pack | ¥658 | 3000GB | Use it whenever you like; it never expires |
If you upgrade a monthly subscription mid-cycle, the price difference is converted into remaining days—an upgrade doesn’t start a new full billing period. Data packs aren’t topped up monthly; their balance decreases as you use them. Before checkout, check the plan type and data allowance on the Plans page so you don’t confuse pay-as-you-go data with a monthly reset.
In short: Choose a monthly subscription for regular use and a data pack for occasional use. Pick based on your needs and budget, then check actual usage in your dashboard. The number of countries covered and servers available won’t tell you how much data you need.
Account and payment: check your order status
The High-Speed VPN service doesn’t require an email address. Open the user dashboard and follow the on-screen instructions to set your account credentials. Save them in a trusted password manager. Even without an email address, you’ll still need your login details to view your subscription, orders, and data usage.
The service supports Alipay, WeChat Pay, and USDT. Check the plan name, amount, and billing type on your order before paying as instructed on the checkout page. With USDT, carefully verify the network and payment details shown there; don’t choose them based on a previous transfer. Always follow the current checkout instructions.
Once your payment app confirms the payment, return to the dashboard to check whether the order has been credited and the plan is active. If it still shows as pending, refresh and check the order before trying again. For help, submit your order details through the support ticket portal. Redact personal information from payment receipts if it isn’t relevant to the issue. The service offers a 14-day no-questions-asked refund.
Install a client and import your subscription
Get installation instructions for your platform from the dashboard’s client download page. For Windows and macOS, check compatibility with your operating system and processor. On Android, pay attention to the installation source and background restrictions; on iOS, follow the dashboard’s instructions for getting and configuring a client. Button names vary between tools, so don’t identify the right version by its icon alone.
- Make sure your plan is active. Sign in to the dashboard, check your data and service status, then open the subscription section.
- Choose the right format. Select the subscription type for your client, then copy the link or use the import option provided in the dashboard.
- Import the remote subscription. In your client, look for “Subscription,” “Configuration,” or a similar option. Paste the link and save it. Don’t paste the dashboard login URL by mistake.
- Update the settings. Refresh the subscription and confirm that the server list appears. If the list is empty, troubleshoot the import before connecting.
- Select a server and grant permission. Choose a server and start the connection. When prompted, allow the system to create a VPN configuration or network extension.
Some clients separate “import configuration” from “enable configuration.” Seeing a configuration in the list doesn’t mean it’s selected. Likewise, a successful subscription update only confirms that the settings downloaded; it doesn’t prove every route can connect. Keeping the remote subscription makes it easier to receive future updates, but don’t delete a configuration that still works just because an update fails.
Grant system permissions only after you’ve started the client yourself. Don’t follow unfamiliar instructions to disable system security features, and never send your subscription credentials to a stranger for setup. If a permission prompt looks different from what you expect, check the official installation instructions first.
Choosing a route and setting up split tunneling
High-Speed VPN covers 90+ countries with 180+ routes, but you don’t need to try them all when you first connect. Choose an exit region supported by the website you want to use, then check whether access is stable. Distance is only one factor: your access network, congestion between networks, and the remote server’s load can all affect performance. A closer region isn’t always faster.
IEPL, relay, and direct describe how a route is organized, not which client protocol it uses. IEPL usually refers to cross-region transmission over a dedicated Ethernet line; a relay forwards traffic through an additional entry point; a direct route doesn’t use that type of relay. None of these labels guarantees a particular speed or that every website will accept the exit IP.
When starting out, you can keep the rule mode recommended by your configuration. Rule mode uses conditions such as domains and addresses to decide whether traffic connects directly or through a proxy. Global proxy mode usually covers more traffic, but “global” doesn’t necessarily mean every system connection is routed through it. Coverage of specific apps also depends on the system proxy, TUN, or the platform’s VPN integration.
On Windows and macOS, some apps may ignore system proxy settings. TUN mode can route more IP traffic, but may need additional permissions and can conflict with other network tools. Mobile devices usually route traffic through the system VPN interface; on Android, also check that battery-saving settings aren’t stopping background processes. Don’t run multiple tools that take over network traffic at the same time.
Confirm your connection: exit IP, DNS, and apps
A connection icon only shows that the client has started some kind of network handling. To verify the connection, check the exit IP, access to your target, and DNS behavior separately—and make sure each test actually uses the proxy. In rule mode, different websites may use different routes as intended. Don’t assume there’s a problem just because a test page shows a local exit IP.
- ✅ Check your exit IP: Open a trusted IP lookup page. Confirm that your rules route the page through the proxy, then check whether the exit region matches your selected server.
- ✅ Test what you need to do: Open the website or app you want to use and confirm that a page loads, you can sign in, or a request completes. Don’t stop at the home screen.
- ✅ Check DNS: Review the results of a DNS leak test and compare them with your client’s DNS settings to see whether lookups are taking the expected route.
- ✅ Check that it stays connected: Switch apps, lock your screen, then try again to see whether background restrictions interrupt the connection.
DNS translates domain names into addresses. If a lookup that should go through the tunnel is sent to an unintended resolver outside the expected route, your queries may be exposed. A test page’s reported resolver region doesn’t necessarily reflect its physical location, and your browser’s Secure DNS may bypass the client’s settings. Check the configuration and resolver ownership rather than relying on the region label alone.
If you need to make changes, follow your client’s documentation to align DNS and proxy rules instead of entering an address you found online at random. An encrypted connection protects the relevant transmission path, but it doesn’t replace website account security or change a site’s regional or usage policies. Always follow local laws and platform rules.
Troubleshooting a failed connection
Troubleshoot in this order: local network, account and settings, server, then app. Change one setting at a time and note what happens before and after. If you change the server, protocol, and DNS all at once, it’s hard to tell what fixed the problem—even if the connection comes back.
- Local network isn’t working: Pause the client and try an ordinary website. Public Wi-Fi may require you to sign in to the network first.
- Subscription won’t update: Check that the link is complete, the format is supported, and your account is active. A failed subscription download is different from a failed server connection.
- The server list looks fine, but you can’t connect: Check system permissions, try another server in the same region, and rule out conflicts with other proxy or security software.
- Your browser works, but an app doesn’t: Check whether the app follows the system proxy, whether your rules send its traffic direct, and whether the client needs a broader traffic-routing mode.
- The connection drops while you’re using it: Check background permissions on mobile, network changes, and your remaining data in the dashboard. Don’t just keep toggling the connection on and off.
When asking for help, include your operating system, client name, network environment, server name, and the error message. Check logs and redact subscription links, access tokens, and account credentials before sharing them. For detailed setup instructions, see Guides; for protocols and routing concepts, see Protocol Guide.
Frequently asked questions for beginners
Can I use the service on multiple devices?
The service has no device limit and supports simultaneous connections. Each device still needs a compatible client and its own imported configuration. “No device limit” doesn’t mean you should share your subscription publicly: it contains account credentials, and others could use your data if it’s exposed.
Why do some local websites still use my regular connection?
That may be expected in rule mode. Rules can send local services direct and route selected destinations through a proxy, avoiding unnecessary detours. Investigate further only if the actual route doesn’t match your rules.
Do I need to choose a plan again if I switch clients?
A client is a connection tool; a plan defines your service access. They’re separate things. When switching tools, first check subscription format and protocol compatibility. Don’t pay again just because an import fails. If the client doesn’t support your current settings, follow the dashboard’s instructions for a compatible setup.
You’re connected when: your plan is active, the subscription is imported, permissions are granted, your target app is accessible, and the exit IP and DNS behavior match your configuration. Complete these checks to move from “installed” to “connected.”