This article addresses the practical question of “how to use Shadowrocket”: from importing nodes after installation and enabling the proxy, to understanding the relationship between IP, DNS, and the browser environment, helping you use V2Ray, VLESS, Trojan, Shadowsocks, and other nodes more reliably on iPhone/iPad.
1. Basic Shadowrocket Usage Process
Shadowrocket is commonly called “Little Rocket” by Chinese users, and it is a common proxy client on iOS. You first need to prepare working nodes or a subscription link. This site also organizes some free nodes for testing, but the stability of free nodes may fluctuate, so it is recommended to use “whether it connects” as the main standard for judgment.
- Open Shadowrocket, go to the home page, and tap “+” in the top right corner.
- If you have a single node link, choose “Import from Clipboard” or manually select the protocol and fill it in; if you have a subscription link, go to the “Configuration” or “Subscription” page and add the URL.
- After importing, return to the home page, select a node, and tap the switch to connect.
- On the first connection, you will be prompted to add a VPN configuration. Tap Allow and enter your system password or use Face ID.
- After the status changes to VPN connected, open a browser and visit a test website to confirm whether the IP has changed.
2. What Is the Relationship Between IP, DNS, and the Browser Environment?
Many users think that as long as Shadowrocket shows connected, the “environment is normal,” but in fact you also need to look at three aspects: IP, DNS, and browser fingerprint.
- IP: What websites see is the proxy exit IP. If, after connecting, checking the IP still shows your local carrier, it means the node did not take effect or the routing rules bypassed that website.
- DNS: DNS is responsible for resolving domain names into IP addresses. If there is a DNS leak, problems such as webpages not opening, abnormal region detection, and privacy exposure may occur.
- Browser environment: This includes language, time zone, WebRTC, cache, and account login status. Even if the IP changes, residual browser information may still affect how websites assess you.
Ordinary users do not need overly complicated settings, but it is recommended to check IP and DNS both before and after using the proxy to confirm that the exit region basically matches the node.
3. Recommended Practical Settings
In Shadowrocket, it is generally best to use “Configuration/Rules” mode first, so domestic websites connect directly while foreign websites go through the proxy. This usually provides better speed and compatibility. If you are only testing temporarily, you can also switch to global proxy mode, but long-term global mode is not recommended because some domestic apps may become slower or fail to open.
For DNS, if you encounter resolution issues, you can enable remote DNS in Shadowrocket’s configuration or use the client’s default recommended settings. Do not casually mix multiple unknown DNS services, to avoid resolution conflicts. For the browser, it is recommended to use a private browsing window for testing, or clear the target website’s cache before visiting again.
4. How to Troubleshoot Connection Failures
- First confirm whether the node has expired and whether the subscription was updated successfully.
- Switch to other nodes in the same subscription to determine whether it is a single-node issue or a client issue.
- Check whether the system time is accurate; an incorrect time may cause TLS-based protocols to fail.
- Turn the Shadowrocket switch off and then back on; if necessary, restart the phone’s network.
- If it can connect but webpages will not open, focus on checking the rule mode and DNS settings.
Finally, a reminder: Shadowrocket is only a client and does not provide lines itself. When using it, please comply with local laws and regulations, and avoid logging into sensitive accounts or transmitting important data through untrusted nodes. After mastering the process above, you will be able to determine whether Shadowrocket is actually working and quickly identify problems caused by IP, DNS, or the browser environment.