The VPN beginner guide answers one concrete question: what does it take to go from knowing nothing to a stable connection? Here is the sequence — what this kind of subscription service is, how to pick a plan by usage, how to order and get your subscription, how to import it into a client, and how to verify it once connected. Every step comes with a check you can run, not a pile of adjectives.
What a subscription service is
What you're buying isn't an app — it's an account plus a subscription link. The subscription link is an ordinary HTTP address; the client requests it and gets back a structured configuration — usually a Base64-encoded node list, sometimes YAML or JSON. Nodes are individual international routes spread across 120+ countries, 220+ routes in total. The client's job is to turn those nodes into a proxy configuration the device can use, then decide which traffic goes through a route and which goes direct.
The subscription URL looks roughly like this:
https://example.com/sub?token=xxxxHere token is part of your account credentials, not a string to show around — more on that below.
At the protocol level you'll commonly see Shadowsocks, VMess, VLESS, Trojan, Hysteria2 and TUIC. The first four mostly run over TCP and can be wrapped in WebSocket or gRPC; the last two are built on QUIC/UDP and behave differently from the TCP family on lossy networks. Which protocols your client supports determines whether every node in the subscription is usable, so the order is: pick the client first, then the nodes.
Dedicated lines, relays and direct connections
The same "Japan route" can be built three completely different ways. An IEPL dedicated line is an end-to-end private link that doesn't hairpin through public international gateways — usually the least jitter at peak hours, and the most expensive. A relay connects an entry node to a forwarding hop and then to the landing data center; quality depends on the relay point. Direct simply connects to the landing data center and inherits whatever the public internet gives you. When picking a route, the label worth reading isn't the country name — it's those three letters.
Tip: the client doesn't create routes; it just runs the nodes in your subscription. If you can't connect, confirm the subscription updated successfully before you blame the route.
Choosing a plan by usage: monthly subscription or data pack
Billing comes in exactly two forms: a monthly subscription and a one-off data pack. The monthly subscription resets its data allowance each month on your activation date; upgrading mid-cycle converts the price difference into the remaining days. Data packs last until used up and never expire. One account covers unlimited devices — Windows / macOS / iOS / Android / Linux can all sign in, with no extra charge for a second device.
| Plan | Price | Data | Billing | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly · 60GB | ¥9.9 / month | 60GB / month | Resets monthly on activation date | Everyday single-user browsing and documents |
| Monthly · 250GB | ¥18 / month | 250GB / month | Resets monthly on activation date | Regular video, or two people sharing one account |
| Monthly · 500GB | ¥28 / month | 500GB / month | Resets monthly on activation date | Multiple devices online for long stretches |
| Data pack · 300GB | ¥158 | 300GB | Lasts until used up, never expires | A few weeks a year |
| Data pack · 1000GB | ¥358 | 1000GB | Lasts until used up, never expires | Intensive use over a set period |
| Data pack · 3000GB | ¥658 | 3000GB | Lasts until used up, never expires | Long-term light use and backup |
How to decide? Ask one question first: will you use it every month? If yes, go monthly — start at ¥9.9 for 60GB and upgrade if it isn't enough. If not — a business trip, a holiday, the occasional lookup — take a data pack; ¥158 for 300GB can sit there without expiring. Both live in the same dashboard, and switching doesn't mean creating a new account.
Ordering and getting your subscription link
Checkout is three steps, with no review queue.
- Create an account: a username and password is all it takes — no email address, no confirmation email to wait for.
- Pick a plan and pay: Alipay, WeChat Pay and USDT are supported; monthly plans and data packs are chosen in the same place.
- Get your subscription: sign in to the user dashboard, copy the subscription link or scan the QR code on the downloads page, then paste it into your client.
Note: the subscription link carries a token and works like an account credential. Don't post it in public groups or screenshots; if you suspect it leaked, reset it once in the dashboard.
Within 14 days of your first payment you can request a full refund, no reason needed. For a first-time user that matters more than any spec: start with the shortest cycle and get your money back if it isn't right.
Importing and connecting: how the platforms differ
The general flow is four steps: install the client, add the subscription, update the subscription, select a route and connect. Step three is the one people skip — importing a subscription only pulls down the node list; without selecting a route, the client doesn't know which one to use.
- Windows: the client takes over all traffic in TUN mode and needs permission to create a virtual network adapter on first run; if no prompt appears, security software is usually blocking it.
- macOS: after installing, allow the network extension in System Settings, otherwise it will sit on "Connecting" forever.
- iOS: get the client from the App Store; the first connection asks you to allow a VPN configuration, and you must tap Allow or the switch flips back.
- Android: grant VPN permission after installing; a persistent notification stays while connected, and you can switch routes right from it.
- Linux: the command-line client reads the subscription and generates a config; run it in the foreground or keep it alive with systemd — no GUI required.
Tip: after importing a subscription you have to select a route manually before anything takes effect; the client won't pick one for you.
Routing rules are configured in the client too. Keep local sites on a direct connection and send only the domains that need it through a route — that saves both data and latency; a global proxy counts every request against your plan, and a 60GB tier runs out fast.
How to verify the connection is working
A "Connected" status doesn't mean it's working. Check these one by one:
- ✅ Open a page that shows your exit IP — the location should match the route you selected.
- ✅ The client shows connected and the traffic counter is climbing.
- ✅ The DNS resolver shows as route-side or encrypted DNS, not your local ISP.
- ❌ The exit IP is still your local ISP: most likely no route is selected, or a routing rule is sending that domain direct.
- ❌ Some sites load and others don't: switch routes and retry first, then flush the DNS cache.
- ❌ It says connected but speed is poor: try another route; on lossy networks with TCP-based protocols, give Hysteria2 or TUIC a go.
DNS leaks and routing rules
A DNS leak means your traffic goes through the route while domain lookups still go to your local ISP. The result can be wrong resolution — and a record of what you visited left behind locally. Point DNS at the route side or an encrypted resolver in the client, then confirm with a DNS leak test page; that check is worth more than a speed test.
Routing rules decide which domains go through a route and which connect directly. The finer the rules, the closer you get to "route what should be routed, direct what should be direct"; rules that are too coarse either waste data or break access. After editing rules, reload the config in the client — existing connections won't switch over on their own.
FAQ
How many devices can one account sign in on?
Unlimited. The same account works on Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux, with no extra device slots to buy.
Can I add data mid-cycle on a monthly plan?
Just upgrade to a higher tier — the price difference is prorated over the remaining days, and you don't pay for a fresh month. Data still resets monthly on your activation date.
Do data packs expire?
No. They last until used up and never expire, which suits occasional backup and bursts of heavy use.
Do I need an email address to sign up?
No. A username and password is enough — no email field, no confirmation email to wait for.
How does the refund work?
Within 14 days of your first payment you can request a full refund, no reason required.
How is traffic protected?
Traffic on the routes uses quantum encryption; the client-side switches, routing rules and DNS settings decide how traffic flows, which is a separate matter from encryption itself.
Back to the opening question: what this kind of service is, how to choose, how to connect. It compresses into one sentence — one account, one subscription link, one client; pick the right billing model, and after connecting check the exit IP and DNS. The rest is best judged by actually using it.