Proxy Protocols
and Network Route Selection

Connection Models and Performance Metrics

Keep Protocols, Transports and Routes Distinct

A proxy protocol defines how a client and server identify themselves, specify destination addresses and forward data. The transport layer determines how that data travels across the network, while the route is the path it actually takes. These concepts are related, but they are not interchangeable. A protocol in a node name tells you neither where the route goes nor whether it has dedicated bandwidth. To assess performance, record the protocol, underlying transport, entry region and exit region separately rather than reducing them all to a vague claim of being “fast.”

A typical web request involves DNS resolution, connection setup, security negotiation, sending a request and receiving content. A proxy is only one part of the process: a slow destination server, congested local Wi-Fi or a client rule that matches incorrectly can all delay a page. Changing protocols may alter connection setup and data transfer, but it cannot make the destination server process requests faster. First determine whether the problem occurs before or after the connection is established; that will point you toward the right checks.

Distinguish the proxy entry point from the final exit point. The server address the client first connects to may be only an entry point, with traffic forwarded onward before the exit connects to the destination. A nearby entry point does not mean the exit is nearby, and an exit in the target region does not guarantee a direct route. Applications generally see the exit address, while a client connection check may cover only the entry point or part of the proxy service. The two results are not directly comparable.

Fast connection setup, fast downloads and responsive interactions are different things

Connection setup time affects how long you wait for a page to load for the first time, an app to reconnect or a short request to complete. Sustained throughput affects large downloads and video buffering. Interactive responsiveness depends more on round-trip latency, jitter and packet-loss recovery. A route can deliver good download speeds yet feel sluggish for remote desktop work. Another route may have lower overall throughput but provide a steadier experience for chat and everyday browsing. There is no contradiction: different tasks place different demands on the connection.

Connection reuse can also change how fast things appear. A browser may reuse an existing connection, and a client may send requests from multiple apps through a shared tunnel. A page that loads quickly the second time does not prove that a new connection would be just as fast. Reconnecting after a network change, waking a device or switching exits requires setting up the connection again, so the wait may be more noticeable. When comparing performance, note whether you continued an existing connection or started from a disconnected state.

Check how the client measures latency before interpreting its results. Some checks test connectivity to the node address; others request a specific webpage through the proxy, and some include security negotiation and a response from the destination. Different tools may measure different paths, so their results do not make a reliable protocol ranking. For a fair comparison, use the same client, test target and similar network conditions, then check how your actual apps perform instead of chasing the smallest number.

This Technical Guide Is Not a List of Available Configurations

The protocols covered here illustrate common approaches in the industry; they do not mean that every OEMVPN route offers every combination. Check the dashboard after signing in and the subscription details available in your client for the protocols, transports and nodes actually offered. OEMVPN covers 110+ countries / 210+ routes. This describes the breadth of the directory; it does not mean that every region has the same topology, bandwidth conditions or performance on every platform.

After importing a subscription, keep the parameters provided by the service. Manually changing the transport, encryption method or handshake fields may make the client and server incompatible. Even when two configurations use the same protocol, differences in implementation, underlying transport and server settings can prevent them from working together. Unless you have explicit configuration instructions, do not copy parameters from a configuration you found online into an existing node. A failed connection does not, by itself, mean the protocol is unreliable.

Compare the complete combination of client, protocol, transport and route. Comparing protocol names alone can lead you to mistake route quality or differences in the destination service for protocol capabilities.

As you read the following sections, use the same sequence each time: confirm that the client can correctly interpret the subscription, check whether the transport is reachable on your current network, examine the path from entry to exit, then test the destination service. This helps avoid unnecessary switching. To browse the regions currently available, visit the Routes page. For installation and import steps, return to the Getting Started Guide rather than searching this technical reference for client controls.

Shadowsocks and VMess: Design Trade-Offs

Shadowsocks: Understand the Core Protocol and Add-On Layers

Shadowsocks forwards app traffic to a destination through an encrypted proxy. It is designed around proxy forwarding and does not require every setup to mimic the full appearance of web traffic. With modern authenticated encryption, the relevant mechanisms work together to protect confidentiality and integrity. The encryption method in your configuration must match the server. Do not change the client setting just because a particular name sounds stronger.

Shadowsocks is often seen as relatively straightforward, but “straightforward” does not necessarily mean it uses the fewest resources. Actual overhead depends on whether encryption can use device instructions, how the client handles buffering and whether plugins or an outer transport are involved. A low-power device may be limited by its processor, while a desktop may be limited mainly by the route. If you use an additional transport component, factor in its handshake, encapsulation and maintenance costs as well.

Do not infer UDP support from the protocol name alone. The protocol, server forwarding settings, client implementation and app entry point all need to work together. A client that routes browser traffic through the system proxy does not necessarily send all system UDP traffic through the proxy. If webpages work but real-time voice does not, first check the traffic capture method and rules, then whether the server allows the required forwarding. Do not start by changing the encryption method.

VMess: Understand Identity and Transport Together

VMess includes user authentication and data-transfer features and is commonly used with proxy clients that offer flexible routing. It can be paired with different outer transports, so nodes labelled VMess may behave differently. Direct transport, web-related transport and combinations with additional TLS can differ in handshake paths, connection reuse and compatibility with network intermediaries. There is no single performance conclusion that applies to all of them.

Identity fields, system time and security options must be configured correctly. Some authentication flows are sensitive to significant clock skew, so if authentication keeps failing, check that your device time is set to update automatically. Resolving the server address and reaching its port do not prove that authentication succeeded. If the client log shows an authentication error, first check for subscription updates and verify the system time rather than repeatedly refreshing the connection test.

Additional encapsulation can improve compatibility in specific deployment environments, but it also adds complexity. When traffic passes through a reverse proxy or other forwarding component, the path, host field and forwarding rules must work together. A misconfiguration can cause failure before proxy authentication even begins. For most users, importing the complete configuration provided by the service is more reliable than assembling it manually. Understanding the underlying design helps identify where a problem occurs.

Compare Resource Use Under Consistent Conditions

When comparing these protocols, use the same device and similar exit routes whenever possible. If you change the protocol, region and client core at the same time, you cannot tell what caused the difference. Keep the destination website fixed. Check whether the connection remains stable, whether sustained use is interrupted, and then observe processor activity and device temperature. One successful connection only shows that it worked at that moment; it does not replace observations from continued use.

Memory use also depends on the number of connections and buffering strategy. Opening many browser tabs, keeping a sync tool uploading or running downloads over long-lived connections all increase client workload. If memory use rises only during demanding tasks, do not immediately blame the protocol. Close unrelated tasks and check again, then look for connections that have not been released or logs that keep growing. Keeping the default configuration makes observations at different times easier to compare.

If your current configuration works reliably for everyday browsing, there is no need to switch just because another protocol name is newer. Consider an alternative when you have a specific issue with client compatibility, UDP forwarding or authentication, and choose one based on where the problem occurs. A solution is valuable because it fits your device and network, not because its name sounds more complex. Keep the working configuration as a fallback, and decide whether to keep the alternative only after confirming that your target apps work properly.

Trojan and VLESS: Understanding Their Security Boundaries

Trojan: TLS Protection and Certificate Verification

A typical Trojan setup uses TLS to establish a secure channel, then performs proxy authentication and forwarding inside it. To understand it, consider both the proxy protocol and TLS. TLS protects the connection and verifies the server’s identity; proxy authentication checks whether the access credentials are valid. Completing one step does not mean the other has succeeded. When troubleshooting, distinguish certificate errors from handshake and authentication errors.

Certificate verification is not a nuisance to skip casually. Clients generally need to confirm that the server name matches the certificate and that the certificate chain is trusted. Turning verification off to make an error disappear weakens the original identity check. If a problem occurs, update the subscription, check the system time and server name, then verify the configuration through the service’s support channel. Do not treat “skip verification” in an unfamiliar tutorial as a universal optimization.

TLS negotiation has a cost, but that does not mean Trojan is slower in every situation. The impact depends on connection reuse, session resumption, the device’s encryption support and the size of each request. For sustained downloads or long sessions, the initial negotiation may not be the main bottleneck. For apps that frequently wake and establish short connections, handshake and session-resumption behavior may matter more.

VLESS: A Lightweight Identity Layer Is Not an Encryption Layer

VLESS separates lightweight proxy identity from data transport. It does not provide payload encryption in the traditional sense; security depends on the accompanying secure transport. When you see VLESS in a configuration, check which outer-layer security mechanism is used. A user identifier in the configuration does not mean the data is fully encrypted. Identity determines who can connect; transport protection determines how data is secured in transit. They serve different purposes.

VLESS deployments can use different combinations of transport and security. The outer layer affects connection setup and compatibility. For that reason, you cannot assess its resource use by considering only the proxy protocol itself. A lightweight identity layer paired with complex encapsulation may not make the complete setup simpler; conversely, a well-matched implementation may avoid unnecessary processing. Compare complete configurations, not just protocol names.

Some combinations also use specific flow-control or handshake parameters. These generally require compatible support on both the client and server; they are not interchangeable speed switches. If import produces an “unsupported” or parsing error, check that the client supports the combination in the subscription and contact the service for matching setup instructions. Do not delete fields you do not recognize just to force an import. An import that appears to succeed may still not work correctly.

Understand Where Encryption Ends and App Protection Begins

A proxy tunnel protects data in transit between the client and the relevant proxy endpoint. When an app uses HTTPS, there is also an encrypted connection between the browser or app and the destination service. These layers have different endpoints, so proxy encryption does not solve every security concern. Enter passwords only on the legitimate site for the service you intend to use. Unfamiliar websites, fake login pages and malicious files remain risky, regardless of the proxy protocol.

Keep certificate verification enabled and use the matching subscription configuration. Find the failing step when troubleshooting instead of disabling security checks just to make the connection appear to work.

DNS also needs to be considered separately. Whether the client proxies DNS requests, an app uses encrypted DNS or the system relies on its cache can affect where name lookups go. Being able to open one webpage does not prove that every DNS request is handled as expected; a difference in DNS test results does not necessarily mean the proxy tunnel has failed. Check the client’s DNS policy and the rules it applies. Keep DNS issues separate from certificate verification, authentication and route quality.

When choosing a setup, consider certificate maintenance, client compatibility and the reliability of the current deployment. Switching the name of a TLS-based protocol does not automatically improve privacy or reduce latency. OEMVPN’s key security commitment is a no-logs policy; protocol encryption and service policies are separate considerations. For tips on protecting your account and subscription link, read VPN Security Basics. Transport-layer protection is not a substitute for good account security.

Hysteria2 and TUIC: Transport Characteristics

Reliable Transport over QUIC

Hysteria2 and TUIC are both associated with QUIC and typically use UDP to handle encryption, connection state and reliable streams. UDP is the underlying transport; it does not mean that data received by an app can be arbitrarily missing. Reliable byte streams still need acknowledgements, retransmissions and congestion control, even though these mechanisms are not provided in the same way by the traditional TCP stack. Understanding this helps avoid mistaking “uses UDP” for “does not wait for lost packets to be recovered.”

QUIC can manage relatively independent streams within one connection, reducing delays between streams caused by ordered delivery. But independent does not mean completely isolated: streams may still share exit bandwidth, congestion and device resources. Apps can still slow down when a link is heavily congested. Whether a large download affects web interactions also depends on how the client reuses connections, schedules traffic and handles a route approaching its capacity.

Encryption and connection negotiation have their own prerequisites. The client must be able to reach the server over UDP, and relevant network equipment must allow the session to continue. Some networks can access TCP-based services normally but handle or limit UDP differently. Simply adjusting protocol parameters may not solve the problem. First compare performance on the current network with another connection method, then decide whether a different transport is needed.

Hysteria2: Use Caution When Assessing Bandwidth

Hysteria2 is designed for particular link conditions, and its congestion-control behavior and configuration should be understood in the context of the implementation. If the configuration includes upstream or downstream bandwidth hints, those values should reflect the actual connection, not simply be set as high as possible. Overstating the expected sending rate can increase local queueing and make interactive requests less responsive; setting it too low can limit available throughput. If the service provides parameters, keep them as supplied while you identify the source of the problem.

Performance under packet loss is one reason people pay attention to this type of solution, but packet loss has different causes. Random loss from wireless interference is not the same as persistent drops caused by a congested exit. Suitable transport recovery may help with random loss, while congestion requires senders to share limited capacity with other traffic. A protocol cannot create physical bandwidth or replace checks of the local network and upstream route.

Assess uploads and downloads separately. Home internet connections may have asymmetric speeds. Cloud uploads can consume capacity needed for acknowledgements and other requests, slowing downloads and web responses at the same time. If the problem occurs only during uploads, first limit background transfers and check queueing on the router before assessing whether the protocol is a good fit. Looking only at peak download speed can hide upstream congestion that affects everyday use.

TUIC: Connection Reuse, Recovery and Network Changes

TUIC also uses QUIC connection and multiplexing features. The actual experience depends on authentication, traffic forwarding and the client implementation. Connection reuse, idle-connection handling and datagram forwarding can all affect resource use and app compatibility. Do not treat TUIC and Hysteria2 as interchangeable options that differ only in name. They belong to related technical approaches, but their parameter meanings, congestion behavior and error messages are not necessarily interchangeable.

QUIC connection identifiers provide a technical basis for handling path changes when a mobile device switches networks, but whether an app stays connected still depends on the client, server and access network. Switching from Wi-Fi to mobile data can cause a delay as the old path disappears and the new one is validated; operating-system background limits can add to it. Support for connection migration does not guarantee that every app will switch seamlessly. Test what actually happens after locking and unlocking the device and changing networks.

When evaluating this type of setup, first confirm that it works reliably on your current network. Then check whether sustained transfers can coexist with interactive tasks, and finally observe device temperature and background activity. If compatibility problems arise, keep a working TCP-based option as a fallback rather than repeatedly applying unfamiliar parameters. Protocol suitability depends on the conditions; it is not a permanent ranking of technical approaches.

Direct, Relayed and Dedicated Route Topologies

Direct Connections: Fewer Relays Do Not Guarantee a Shorter Route

A direct connection usually means that the client connects straight to a proxy entry point in the target region or overseas, without an additional service-managed relay in between. The internet is still made up of interconnected networks, and data may pass through multiple carriers and exchange points. Geographically close locations can still be connected by indirect routes. Direct connections reduce some deployment complexity, but the label alone does not prove that the actual round-trip route is the shortest or most stable at every hour.

The outbound and return paths may also differ. The request and response do not necessarily pass through the same networks, so the condition of one direction cannot tell you how the full session performs. If a webpage loads slowly, the issue may be on the path carrying the response rather than the request path. A trace route seen from your device covers only part of the journey, so relying on it alone can miss the segment between the exit and the destination service.

Whether a direct connection is suitable depends on how your local carrier connects to the target region and how your usual destinations respond. On a well-connected route, a simpler topology can reduce maintenance overhead. If the connection between networks is congested at peak times, performance may suffer even when the protocol itself adds little overhead. Instead of assuming that fewer relays are always better, assess whether the actual route suits your needs.

Relayed Connections: Trade an Extra Hop for More Control

A relayed connection adds a forwarding entry point or segment between the client and the final exit. The client first connects to an entry point that is easier to reach, which then forwards traffic to the exit. An extra hop can add propagation and processing costs, but replacing an indirect or congested route can improve performance overall. Relaying is not inherently faster or slower; its value depends on the path it replaces and the capacity and maintenance of the relay segment.

Relaying also means more components that need to work together. A reachable entry point does not guarantee that the path from entry to exit is working, and a reachable exit does not mean the entry is free of queueing. If you can connect but traffic stalls, consider whether the relay segment is a bottleneck. If multiple exits behind the same entry point slow down together, check the entry point or shared forwarding segment first. If only one exit is affected, the issue is more likely to involve that exit or the route beyond it.

You usually cannot tell which infrastructure routes share just from their region names. Nodes labelled with different countries may still use the same entry point or upstream provider; nodes in the same region may take different paths. If performance does not change after switching, the switch may have kept you on the same bottleneck segment. Record the full node names and when the issue occurred to help the service team determine what the routes have in common.

Dedicated Routes: Define the Boundaries of the Dedicated Segment

A dedicated route describes how resources are allocated and connections are organized along a particular segment. It does not automatically cover the entire path from your device to the destination website. Even when a dedicated segment is used, your local Wi-Fi, access network and the connection from the exit to the destination may still use the public internet. When you see a dedicated-route label, check where that segment starts and ends instead of assuming your entire app session has an exclusive path.

Stability also depends on capacity planning and fault response. A dedicated segment can reduce some uncertainty, but the devices at either end, exit bandwidth and destination service response still have limits. A route type is not an uptime guarantee, and a label does not reveal unlisted bandwidth. Treat topology as a clue to understanding performance, then test it with your usual apps rather than treating the label as the final word.

For OEMVPN’s available cities, route types and assignments, check the dashboard directory. This page does not assign dedicated or relayed status to unverified regions. First check the region you need in the Routes directory, then test whether the exit suits your apps. A whole-home setup adds the router as another link in the chain. For trade-offs around routing and device capabilities, see Router VPN Setup Guide; do not mistake a router performance bottleneck for an international route issue.

Packet Loss, Jitter and Peak-Time Congestion

Packet Loss Has More Than One Cause

Packet loss can result from wireless interference, insufficient device buffering, congestion, path changes or diagnostic packets that go unanswered. When reliable transport loses actual data, it must recover the missing parts, making apps wait. Real-time apps may instead keep playing, reduce quality or skip data that has become outdated. The same network problem can affect webpages, voice calls and downloads in different ways, so “the connection dropped” is not a complete diagnosis.

A router that does not reply to an intermediate traceroute probe is not necessarily dropping the traffic passing through it. Network devices may give diagnostic packets lower priority while forwarding normal traffic. You need to consider later hops, the final destination and how your apps perform before deciding that there is a meaningful problem. Concluding that the network has failed because one intermediate hop did not reply can mistake normal network policy for a performance issue.

Jitter is variation in the time it takes data to travel. Average round-trip time can look stable while occasional pauses still make remote work and real-time voice difficult. Sustained throughput can hide the issue because a video player can buffer ahead, while interactive apps cannot pre-buffer actions you have not taken yet. When testing, record not only whether the connection works but which app pauses, whether pauses occur in bursts and whether they coincide with other tasks.

Peak-Time Slowdowns Usually Reflect Shared Resource Contention

Slowdowns at peak times are often related to increased traffic on shared links or devices. The bottleneck could be your home Wi-Fi, access-network aggregation, international interconnection, a relay segment or the exit. Each requires a different response. Queueing caused by local uploads calls for managing home network traffic. Congestion at a shared exit may be better addressed by trying a different route. If the destination platform is slow, there is no universal fix hidden in your local proxy settings.

When queues grow too long, data may be delayed without being dropped. Downloads continue, but webpages and voice calls become noticeably less responsive. This is often called bufferbloat. Congestion control can adjust sending behavior, but local device queueing is also important. Pause large uploads and downloads, then check whether interactive apps recover. This is a more direct diagnostic step than switching protocols blindly, and it does not introduce extra configuration variables.

If a problem occurs only at certain times, retest at other times with the same app and network conditions. If the same destination is slow through several exits, check the destination and local connection. If a group of routes slows down together, consider a shared path. If a wired connection works but Wi-Fi does not, check the wireless environment first. Test one hypothesis at a time rather than changing nodes, DNS and transport settings all at once.

Keep Comparisons Focused and Reproducible

A useful record includes your connection type, client status, full route name, app or service and symptoms. Describe what you can observe, such as “the page keeps loading after authentication,” “video plays normally at first, then stalls after seeking,” or “text requests slow down during uploads.” Specific observations help distinguish handshake, throughput and queueing issues, making it easier to determine what to check next than a vague report of “slow speeds.”

Keep the environment fixed, then change one variable at a time. Speed tests, connection checks and real-world apps answer different questions; do not treat their results as interchangeable.

For comparisons, use ordinary public webpages and non-sensitive test content. There is no need to paste your subscription link into an unfamiliar testing site or upload your full client configuration. Before sharing logs, remove access credentials, subscription URLs and personal account details; include only the error type and context needed to understand it. The goal of technical troubleshooting is to narrow down the issue, not to collect unrelated personal information.

For gaming, distinguish proxy routes from tools that optimize game traffic specifically. Games may use different servers, matchmaking regions and transport methods, so a webpage working normally does not prove the game route is suitable. For more on how latency and packet loss affect gameplay, read Game Accelerators vs. VPNs. If a local Wi-Fi adjustment solves the problem, do not attribute the improvement to changing an international protocol. Accurate diagnosis helps you keep the configuration that actually worked.

Traffic Handling and Mobile Battery Use

System Proxy vs. Virtual Network Interfaces

A system proxy gives apps that respect the operating-system settings a proxy endpoint, but it does not necessarily capture traffic from every app. Some apps make connections directly or use transports that the system proxy cannot handle, so a browser may work while other apps continue to use their original route. A virtual network interface handles traffic from closer to the network layer and can cover more apps, but it also depends more heavily on routing rules, permissions, DNS configuration and client implementation.

Broader coverage does not mean you should always enable the most comprehensive traffic-capture mode. Local sharing, company networks and devices on your local network may need to keep their existing routes. If full-device routing affects printing, remote work or internal websites, first check local-network bypass rules and which rules are matching rather than switching overseas nodes again. Traffic handling determines which data enters the client; the protocol determines how that data is forwarded. Adjust them separately.

Windows and macOS may also have other network-filtering components running at the same time. Security software, corporate access tools and multiple proxy clients can modify system proxy settings, virtual interfaces or DNS. If things work intermittently, check which program is currently handling traffic, disable redundant components you do not need, and make sure the system settings are restored after closing the client. Duplicate traffic handling is often a higher priority to investigate than small performance differences between protocols.

Battery Use Depends on Workload and Wake-Ups

Mobile battery use comes from more than encryption. It also depends on how long the wireless radio stays active, background connection keepalives, frequent reconnects and ongoing app traffic. A configuration that keeps reconnecting while idle may use more power than one that stays connected and works steadily. Before comparing protocol battery use, make sure both setups are handling similar tasks; do not compare video playback with background idle and draw conclusions about the protocol.

Signal quality affects the cost of wireless transmission. Repeated retries under a weak signal and switching between network connections both increase activity. If a device gets warm only in certain locations or network conditions, first check signal strength and reconnection behavior. Do not blame all the battery use on encryption just because the client happens to be running. The operating system’s battery page offers clues about app-level usage, but also consider screen activity, foreground apps and wireless activity.

More frequent keepalives are not always better. Aggressive keepalives can trigger more background activity, while overly infrequent ones may let network equipment close an idle session and force the next request to reconnect. The right setting depends on the operating system’s background behavior, the access network and the server. Most users should keep the subscription and client defaults. Change them only when you have confirmed that idle connections are dropping and the service has provided instructions.

Turn Platform Differences into Practical Checks

Apps on Linux do not necessarily share the same proxy settings. Desktop environments, terminal processes and background services may use different environments and permissions, so a successful test in one terminal tool does not mean every process is routed through the proxy. Start troubleshooting with the process that is actually affected and check how it gets its proxy settings rather than relying only on a browser test. After changing environment variables, existing processes may not pick up the new settings until they are restarted.

OEMVPN supports Windows / macOS / iOS / Android / Linux, with no limit on the number of devices connected at the same time. Download clients and subscriptions from the user dashboard. Downloads are available after signing in on platforms other than iOS; iOS downloads require an active plan. Platform support means an access option is provided, not that operating-system permissions, app behavior and background handling are identical. Test each device on its own.

For desktop split tunneling and startup options, read Windows VPN Setup Comparison. For importing on iOS, see iPhone VPN Setup Guide. Start with a basic connection before trying more advanced traffic handling. This gives you a clear fallback and makes it easier to tell whether a later issue comes from the protocol, a rule or platform permissions instead of several changes at once.

Choose the Right Setup for Your Needs

Start with What You Need to Do, Not a Protocol Name

Everyday browsing and text-based AI tools usually depend more on connection setup, response times and session stability. Start with a route that works consistently on your current connection, then check for repeated authentication, interrupted responses or pages that keep waiting. The destination service may also determine access based on account region, exit characteristics or its own policies. Opening the home page does not prove that every feature will work. Test the app or service you actually intend to use, not just a public webpage.

For streaming, check sustained throughput, fluctuations and how the platform treats the exit location. A region label only indicates the area in the route directory; it does not guarantee that all platforms identify the connection the same way or that every title will remain available. Test actual playback, seeking and longer viewing sessions. If only one platform has an issue while other apps work, check how the exit matches that platform before ruling out the entire protocol setup.

Remote work and real-time communication need stable round-trip times, local-network compatibility and continuous sessions. Check meetings, remote desktop, internal sites and file sharing before enabling full-device traffic handling just because international webpages work. Large transfers also need to be assessed for their impact on other apps. A high download speed is not a good fit for working in parallel if it makes meetings stall. Limiting background tasks may help more than changing protocols.

Compare Gradually from a Working Baseline

Save a configuration that reliably handles your main tasks as a baseline. After updating the subscription and confirming client support, keep the access network and target app the same while switching to a candidate route. Check connection setup, sustained use, recovery after idle periods and behavior after a network change, then record the differences. If the candidate fails, return to the baseline and test again. If the baseline also deteriorates, changes in the environment may be more relevant than the candidate configuration.

You can draw conclusions about protocol differences only when the routes are similar enough to compare. Your subscription may not offer different protocols over the same route, so sometimes the valid conclusion is only that “this combination works better in the current environment,” not that one protocol is generally superior. Recognizing the limits of a comparison does not make it less useful. What matters is a repeatable experience, not a permanent ranking detached from the device, route and task.

When something fails, step back one layer at a time: if the subscription will not import, check client support; if authentication fails, check the subscription and system time; if you can connect but an app has problems, check rules, DNS and the destination; if performance drops only during heavy transfers, check capacity and queueing; if the issue appears only after locking the screen or switching networks, check background handling and recovery. Address one branch at a time and keep the previous settings so the issue can be reproduced and support can help.

Keep Protocol and Plan Choices Separate

Protocol selection is about how data travels; plan selection is about how traffic is billed. OEMVPN monthly plans are ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB and ¥28/month for 500GB. Data resets monthly on the activation date, and mid-cycle upgrades are prorated based on the remaining days. Do not infer unlisted protocol access, dedicated-route tiers or speed guarantees from the price. Check the Plans page and dashboard for current plan details and available options.

Data packs are ¥158/300GB, ¥358/1000GB and ¥658/3000GB. They last until used and never expire. The main difference between monthly plans and data packs is how billing and data validity work; a data pack is not a separate transport technology. Before choosing, consider whether your use is steady and predictable, then factor in your devices and typical tasks. Payment methods: Alipay / WeChat Pay / USDT. The service offers a 7-day no-questions-asked refund.

Create an account without an email address; a username and password are all you need. Treat your subscription link like a password and do not share the full link for someone else to test. For support, use the dashboard ticket system to describe your connection method, client, route and the stage where the issue occurs, leaving out access credentials. For help importing a subscription, return to the Getting Started Guide. For common account and billing questions, visit the Support Center.

Keep the setup that works consistently across your usual devices, networks and apps. Protocol names help explain how things work; testing your real apps helps you choose, and keeping a fallback makes changes easier to undo.