This article addresses the question “how to import nodes into sing-box“: it is suitable for users who have just obtained free nodes, a subscription link, or a single sharing link. Follow the steps to complete the import, enable the proxy, and understand why IP, DNS, and the browser environment may still affect access results after connecting.
1. What to prepare before importing nodes
sing-box itself is a proxy core, and ordinary users usually use it through clients with a graphical interface, such as sing-box clients on Android, Windows, macOS, or iOS. Before importing, first confirm what kind of information you have: a subscription link, a single node link, or a complete configuration file. The free node pages on this site generally provide copyable nodes or subscriptions, and you should not modify the content casually when importing.
- Subscription link: usually starts with https://, and the client can automatically fetch multiple nodes.
- Single node: commonly links such as vless://, vmess://, trojan://, and so on.
- Configuration file: generally in json format, suitable for users who already have a complete rule configuration.
2. General steps for importing nodes into sing-box
- Open the sing-box client and go to the relevant “Profiles / Configuration / Subscription” page.
- If it is a subscription link, select “Add Subscription” or “Import from URL,” paste the link, and save.
- If it is a single node, select “Import from Clipboard” or “Scan QR Code.” After importing, check whether the node name appears.
- Return to the main interface, select the configuration or node group you just imported, and click Start, Connect, or Enable.
- Open a browser and visit an IP lookup website to confirm whether the exit IP has changed.
If the client indicates a configuration error, first check whether the link was copied completely, especially making sure no trailing parameters are missing. If the subscription cannot be updated, try switching networks and retrying, or copy the subscription link into a browser to test whether it can be opened.
3. What is the relationship between IP, DNS, and the browser environment
Many people think that once a node is imported successfully, everything is settled, but in fact access results are also affected by three aspects. The first is IP: after connecting, the website sees the node’s exit IP, and if that node is restricted by the target website, it still may not open. The second is DNS: DNS is responsible for resolving domain names into IP addresses. If it still goes through local DNS, you may encounter pollution, slow resolution, or region mismatch. The third is the browser environment: cache, cookies, language, time zone, and WebRTC may all allow websites to determine your original usage environment.
A practical approach is: after connecting to sing-box, first test in an incognito window; if the webpage is still abnormal, clear that site’s cookies; then check whether the client has options such as “Remote DNS,” “Prevent DNS Leaks,” or similar settings enabled. Some clients also have TUN mode; when enabled, it can route more applications through the proxy, but it also depends more on system permissions.
4. Checklist for troubleshooting connection failures
- Node expired or unavailable: switch to another node for testing, and avoid focusing only on a single node during troubleshooting.
- Incorrect time: set your phone or computer time to automatic synchronization.
- Subscription not updated: manually refresh the subscription and confirm that the new nodes have been loaded.
- Rules not matched: temporarily switch to global proxy mode to determine whether it is a split-routing rule issue.
- DNS abnormality: change the client’s built-in DNS settings, or restart the client and try again.
In summary, the core of importing nodes into sing-box is: “add a subscription or link — select a configuration — start the connection — verify the IP.” If the IP has changed but the website still cannot be opened, continue troubleshooting from DNS, browser cache, and split-routing rules, which will usually help identify most problems.