Here’s the key relationship to remember: a subscription provides configuration, a client reads that configuration, a node handles the connection, a protocol defines how data is transmitted, and traffic rules decide which route each request takes. Global and rule modes determine how traffic is handled; they aren’t plan tiers or speed levels.
In everyday conversation, device-level VPNs, proxy clients, and subscription services are often all called “VPNs,” but they don’t handle traffic in the same way. The point of learning the terminology isn’t to memorize names—it’s to understand what paid access, configuration files, network paths, and traffic policies each do.
Subscriptions and subscription links: access and configuration are different things
A paid subscription describes the service access you’re entitled to, such as data allowance, validity period, and available routes. A subscription link is the address a client uses to retrieve configuration. They often go together, but they aren’t interchangeable. Having a link doesn’t mean your access is active, and completing payment doesn’t mean your device has imported the configuration or connected.
A client uses a subscription link to retrieve a node list and may also retrieve proxy groups, rules, and DNS settings. What’s included depends on the configuration format provided by the service. A node subscription isn’t the same as a complete configuration file. Check the client’s documentation to see whether you need to set up rules after importing nodes.
“Update subscription” usually means fetching the configuration again, not renewing your plan. Updating may help if the service has changed node addresses. It won’t fix an exhausted data allowance or expired access, and a change in node order after an update doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a routing problem.
Nodes and routes: connection endpoints and transmission paths
A node is a connection configuration that you can select in a client. It typically includes a server address, port, authentication details, and protocol parameters. The name shown in the client is a label for identification, not technical proof. Labels such as “Japan” or “dedicated line” need to be understood in the context of the service’s documentation; the name alone doesn’t verify the actual exit location or network path.
A route describes how data reaches its exit point. The same exit region may be reached through different entry points and relay paths, and the same entry point may lead to different exits. Websites generally use the exit IP address to determine your location, so the entry server’s location may not match the region a website detects.
| Term | What it usually means | What you can’t conclude from it |
|---|---|---|
| Direct connection | Your device connects to the selected remote server through your local ISP’s network. | A shorter path doesn’t mean it will always be faster. |
| Relay | Your device connects to an entry server, which forwards traffic to a later node or exit. | A relay doesn’t guarantee lower latency or mean the route uses a dedicated line. |
| IEPL dedicated line | An international Ethernet private line provided by a carrier, which may form part of a service’s transmission path. | It doesn’t mean the entire path from your device to a website uses a dedicated line, or that performance will be the same for every destination. |
| Exit IP | The public-facing address that a destination website typically sees. | Regional databases may differ, so a node name alone can’t tell you how a website will identify your location. |
When choosing a node, first check the destination region, then see how the apps you actually use perform. A successful connectivity test only means the test request completed; it doesn’t guarantee a good experience with video streaming, file transfers, or calls. Latency, bandwidth, packet loss, and jitter are different metrics, so one “speed test” result can’t sum them all up.
Protocols and clients: communication standards and the software that uses them
A protocol defines how a client and server authenticate, encapsulate, and transmit data. The client is the software that implements these rules, while its core handles the actual connections and traffic rules. An import button in the interface doesn’t mean the software supports every configuration format or protocol.
What common protocol names mean
- Shadowsocks: An encrypted proxy protocol. The client and server need compatible encryption methods and authentication parameters. You can’t use it simply by entering a server address in your system’s VPN settings.
- VMess: A proxy protocol with authentication and encryption mechanisms. Connections may also use different transport methods, so checking the protocol name alone isn’t enough.
- Trojan: Typically uses TLS to establish an encrypted connection. Certificate validation and the server name may affect connectivity; don’t disable validation just to dismiss an error.
- VLESS: A lightweight proxy protocol that doesn’t provide encryption on its own. You need to consider the security layer and transport configuration it’s paired with; the name alone doesn’t describe a complete security solution.
- Hysteria2 and TUIC: QUIC-based proxy protocols that rely on UDP network conditions and client support. They aren’t guaranteed to work on networks that restrict UDP.
These are general terms, not a list of protocols supported by K6VPN. Check the current compatibility information in the dashboard or user guides when choosing a client. Don’t change parameters based on a protocol’s popularity. The protocol, transport method, and security layer in a configuration often need to work together.
Rule of thumb: First make sure the client is compatible with the service configuration, then consider protocol differences. If importing fails, check the format and client core support. If the import succeeds but you can’t connect, check the parameters, network conditions, and service status.
Split tunneling and rule mode: how requests choose a route
Split tunneling assigns routes to requests based on specific conditions. Common conditions include domain names, destination IPs, geolocation databases, and app processes. Common actions include connecting directly, using a proxy group, or rejecting the connection. In rule mode, the client applies these rules to the requests it handles.
Many clients process rules in order and apply the action for the first matching rule. A broad rule near the top may override more specific rules below it; the details depend on the client. When a rule “doesn’t work,” it may not match the request—or the app’s traffic may not be reaching the client at all.
A proxy group isn’t the same as a node. A node is a specific connection configuration; a proxy group can contain multiple nodes and choose one based on manual selection, availability checks, or other policies. After assigning a website to a proxy group, check which node the group currently uses. Otherwise, you may think you changed the route when the website’s exit hasn’t actually changed.
Does global mode handle all traffic on your device?
Not necessarily. Global mode usually means that all requests handled by the client use the selected proxy policy. But what the client handles depends on system proxy settings, tunnel mode, and app behavior. Some apps don’t use the system proxy, so they may still connect directly even when the interface shows global mode.
TUN mode processes network traffic through a virtual network interface and usually covers more traffic than system proxy settings alone. It can still be affected by exclusions, permissions, and platform limits. System proxy and TUN determine which traffic enters the client; global and rule modes determine what happens to traffic once it’s there. They’re different settings, not alternatives on the same scale.
For troubleshooting, temporarily compare the same app in global mode. If it works globally but not in rule mode, focus on rule matching and proxy group selection instead of assuming the node is faulty. After comparing, switch back to the rules that suit your everyday use, and avoid changing several variables at once.
DNS and leaks: check domain resolution separately from web traffic
DNS translates domain names into IP addresses. Apps usually need to resolve a domain before connecting to a website, so routing the web connection through a proxy doesn’t automatically mean the DNS request takes the same route. The client’s DNS settings, system resolver, and browser’s secure DNS may all play a part.
A DNS leak usually means that DNS requests have gone to an unexpected resolver instead of following the intended tunnel or DNS policy. Check against your expected configuration rather than relying only on the region shown by a test site. A resolver’s displayed location may not match your device’s exit location, and network routing by public DNS providers can also affect test results.
Some clients support Fake-IP: they return an address for internal mapping to an app, then handle the request themselves. This doesn’t mean a website is actually hosted at that address, or that a mapped address shown by a test tool is the remote exit IP.
Import and verification: put the terminology into practice
Before you start, check the steps for your platform in the user guide, then find the compatible setup information in the client downloads section of the user dashboard. Button locations vary by platform, but you can follow the same order of checks.
- Check your access. Review your plan status and remaining data in the dashboard to tell an account access issue from a device configuration issue.
- Get the right configuration. Use the subscription format supported by your client. If you get a format error, don’t submit a token-bearing link to an unfamiliar online converter.
- Import and update. Confirm that the node list appears without parsing errors. If you have nodes but no rules, add the required configuration as described in the guide.
- Choose a route. Select a node or proxy group, enable the system proxy or tunnel permission as instructed, and check whether another networking tool is using the same settings.
- Verify each layer. First check the client connection, then use IP lookup to see the browser’s exit IP, and finally open the app you actually need. A change in the browser’s exit IP doesn’t mean every app is being handled by the client.
- Record what’s different. If something fails, note your operating system, client, exact error message, mode, and affected app. Then check troubleshooting instead of reporting only that it “doesn’t work.”
Platform-specific notes
On Windows and macOS, system proxy settings don’t necessarily cover every app, and some tunnel features require additional permissions. Android clients often use the system VPN interface to handle traffic; per-app routing depends on the client. On iOS, system network extensions and client features impose limits, so desktop setup steps may not apply. On Linux, pay attention to how background services, routing, and the system resolver interact.
- ✅ After importing, make sure the new configuration is active and the old one isn’t still running.
- ✅ Check the proxy group selection, rule matches, and the target app’s exit—not just the connection icon.
- ✅ Hide subscription tokens, passwords, and other authentication details before sharing diagnostic information.
- ❌ Don’t treat a node name, a successful test button, or a change in browser exit IP as proof that every app is working.
Plan terminology: monthly subscriptions and data packs
Your plan determines billing and data allowance, not global or rule mode. K6VPN monthly subscriptions include ¥9.9/60GB, ¥18/250GB, and ¥28/500GB, with data resetting monthly on the activation date. If you upgrade partway through a billing period, the price difference is prorated for the remaining days. These are different data tiers within the same billing period, not different subscription terms.
Data packs are ¥158/300GB, ¥358/1000GB, and ¥658/3000GB. They last until used and never expire. Don’t apply the monthly subscription reset rules to data packs. Unlimited devices means there’s no device limit; it doesn’t mean the data allowance is unlimited or that other devices can’t affect your local network bandwidth.
Once you understand the terminology, compare plans and data based on how you actually use the service. K6VPN doesn’t require an email address. You can request a full refund for any reason within 7 days of your first payment. Refer to the plan details and terms for the exact benefits; don’t infer them from technical mode names in the client.
Quick recap: Check access in the dashboard, configuration in the subscription, connections in nodes and protocols, paths in routes, and traffic handling in modes and rules. Following that order usually makes it easier to identify a problem than repeatedly switching nodes.