System Proxy vs. Global and Bypass China: V2Ray Routing Modes Explained

System Proxy vs. Routing Modes: One Controls the Entry, the Other the Exit

On desktop, v2rayN starts the core and opens a local proxy listener. Apps such as browsers can send requests to this endpoint. On Windows, “Set system proxy automatically” updates the system proxy settings, but whether an app follows them depends on the app. Some command-line tools, games, and apps with their own networking stack won’t use them automatically.

Routing rules come into play only after a request reaches the core. Based on the destination domain, IP address, port, and other conditions, the core selects a proxy, direct, or blocked outbound. So “system proxy enabled” doesn’t mean every request goes through a remote server, and selecting “Global” doesn’t mean the entire device’s network traffic is captured.

Global, Bypass China, and Direct: How Traffic Flows

Here, “Global” means the client’s routing preset, not device-wide capture at the system level. It generally sends ordinary requests that reach the core through the proxy outbound, while retaining necessary exceptions such as LAN traffic and connections to the node server. To see where a particular address goes, check the active rules and connection log.

“Bypass China” doesn’t route traffic based on a page’s display language, nor does it send every Chinese-language domain direct. Rules often rely on data such as geosite:cn and geoip:cn; domain rule coverage, CDN addresses, and DNS resolution can all affect the match. VMess and VLESS are proxy protocols, not counterparts to these three routing modes.

v2rayN Workflow: Set Up the Entry, Choose a Route, Then Test

The steps below use common menu labels from the Chinese-language Windows desktop interface. Buttons and preset names may differ by version. If you can’t find the same item, check the actual routing configuration rather than guessing from a similar label. Before you begin, select a working node and make sure the core is running. Successfully importing a subscription only means the configuration was added—it doesn’t confirm that the node connects.

1. Check the listener

   Go to “Settings” → “Preferences” and review the local listener ports and other settings. Note the actual ports, and check the startup log for listener errors such as “address already in use.”

2. Enable the entry

   At the bottom of the main window, under “System proxy,” select “Set system proxy automatically.” This lets apps that follow the system proxy use the client. “Do not change system proxy” doesn’t mean the proxy is off—it means the client leaves the current system settings unchanged.

3. Choose a routing preset

   At the bottom of the main window, select the Bypass China preset under “Routing.” To review the rules, go to “Settings” → “Routing settings” and confirm that direct rules for destinations in mainland China appear before the default proxy rule.

4. Test each route separately

   Visit a known direct-access service in mainland China and a destination that requires a proxy. Check the connection log for the destination and outbound tag. Close existing page connections or restart the browser before testing so reused connections don’t hide the effect of the change.

5. Restore your settings

   After testing, switch back to your everyday routing preset. Before stopping the local proxy service, select “Clear system proxy” under “System proxy,” then exit the client. This prevents the system from pointing to a listener that is no longer running.

Ports and Rule Fields: Map the Traffic Path

The local address and port are evidence of the traffic entry point. The values below illustrate a setup with separate SOCKS and HTTP listeners; they aren’t guaranteed defaults for every v2rayN version. If your version uses a mixed listener port, use the values from your actual configuration instead of copying this example.

For example, if an app is manually configured to use the HTTP proxy 127.0.0.1:10809, it may continue using the client even after you clear the system proxy. Conversely, enabling the system proxy may not change an app’s traffic path if it is set to connect directly. Make sure the proxy type matches too: don’t enter an HTTP proxy address in a field that accepts only SOCKS.

This V2Ray/Xray-style routing snippet is not a complete, runnable configuration. It assumes the outbound list already contains tags named direct and proxy, and that the core can read the corresponding rule data. For client-managed configurations, make changes in the interface; manually editing generated files may be overwritten the next time the client starts.

{
  "routing": {
    "domainStrategy": "IPIfNonMatch",
    "rules": [
      {
        "type": "field",
        "domain": ["geosite:cn"],
        "outboundTag": "direct"
      },
      {
        "type": "field",
        "ip": ["geoip:private", "geoip:cn"],
        "outboundTag": "direct"
      },
      {
        "type": "field",
        "network": "tcp,udp",
        "outboundTag": "proxy"
      }
    ]
  }
}

• outboundTag must exactly match an outbound’s tag. The tag name itself doesn’t create proxy or direct functionality.
• Rules are matched in order. If the broad catch-all rule at the end is moved to the top, the mainland China direct rules below it will never handle their matching requests.
• IPIfNonMatch allows the core to resolve an IP and try IP rules when no domain rule matches; it does not capture every DNS query on the system.
• network: "tcp,udp" defines which traffic the rule can match. It doesn’t mean the current proxy protocol, node transport, or app entry point necessarily supports UDP.

Desktop and Android: Choose the Right Setup for Your Platform

For everyday use, start with Bypass China and add rules for specific apps as needed. Don’t leave everything in Global just because one site is having trouble. The main difference between desktop and Android is how requests enter the core; once they’re in, you still need to check domain and IP matches and the selected outbound.

Company intranets, printers, and router admin pages usually need direct access over the local network. If they stop working in Global mode, first check private IP rules and system proxy exceptions instead of immediately switching nodes. For services that require a fixed outbound, also check DNS, IPv6, and the app’s own networking behavior. The word “Global” alone doesn’t guarantee that every connection uses the same outbound.

Still having trouble after switching modes? Troubleshoot by symptom

Everyday setup and final checks

For everyday work and browsing, start by confirming the entry point and selecting Bypass China. Use Global as a temporary comparison: keep the node, destination, and app the same, and change only the routing mode to narrow down the cause. If both modes fail, check the listener, node connection, DNS, and app setup instead of cycling through routing presets.

• Everyday use: Choose Bypass China and add a specific domain rule if a site is routed incorrectly.
• Troubleshooting routing: Switch to Global temporarily, note the destination and outbound tag, then restore your usual mode after testing.
• Check your local network: Use Direct routing. To bypass the client entirely, also remove the app or system proxy settings.
• Exit the client: Clear any leftover system proxy settings first so they don’t point to a closed port.

Check the entry and exit separately, and choosing a mode no longer means guessing at a toggle. The traffic path is clear when the log shows the destination, the rules explain the outbound, and the app’s proxy settings match the listener address.