This article explains how to import nodes into sing-box and what to check if you still can’t open webpages, your IP hasn’t changed, DNS is leaking, or your browser environment is behaving abnormally. Follow the steps below to import free nodes or a subscription link into a sing-box client and perform some basic checks.
1. What to prepare before importing nodes
sing-box is a proxy core. Most users access it through a client with a graphical interface, such as a sing-box GUI client for Windows, macOS, or Android. Before importing, prepare one of the following: a single node link, such as vless://, vmess://, or trojan://; or a subscription link, which is usually an https URL. Our free nodes page also provides links in similar formats. When copying, make sure you don’t miss any characters.
- Make sure the client supports the sing-box core and has the required permissions enabled.
- Node links must not contain extra spaces, line breaks, or Chinese punctuation.
- For subscriptions, choose “Import from URL” rather than pasting the entire contents manually.
2. Common steps for importing nodes into sing-box
- Open the sing-box client and go to the “Configuration,” “Profiles,” or “Subscription” page. The exact name varies by client.
- Click “Add,” “Import,” or “New Profile,” then choose “Import from Clipboard” or “Import from URL.”
- If you copied a single node, choose clipboard import. If you have a subscription link, choose URL import and paste the address.
- After saving, return to the configuration list, select the newly imported configuration, and click Update Subscription or Enable.
- Go to the node selection page, choose a node, turn on the proxy, and wait for the status to show that you’re connected.
Successful import doesn’t guarantee that you can access every website. First, visit an IP lookup site in your browser to confirm that your exit IP has changed, then test the webpage you want to access.
3. How IP, DNS, and your browser environment are related
Many people assume that connecting to a node is all they need to do, but it’s also important to check whether your traffic is actually going through the proxy. IP is the exit address that websites see when you visit them; DNS resolves domain names to addresses; and your browser environment includes information such as language, time zone, cache, extensions, and WebRTC.
If your IP has changed but webpages still won’t open, DNS may not be going through the proxy, your rules may not be matching, or your browser may have cached an old connection. Try temporarily selecting “Global Mode” in the client. If it works in global mode, switch back to rule mode. For DNS, try enabling the client’s built-in DNS or the “Remote Resolution” option to avoid having your DNS queries tampered with by the local network.
4. Troubleshooting connection failures after importing
- Format error: Copy the node or subscription again and make sure the link starts with a protocol prefix and doesn’t include any descriptive text.
- Subscription update failed: Check whether your network can access the subscription URL. If necessary, switch networks or try again later.
- Connected, but webpages won’t open: Switch to global mode, check for conflicts with browser proxy extensions, and restart the client.
- Only some websites are affected: Try another node, clear your browser cache, and disable options related to WebRTC leaks.
- Incorrect system time: Correct the system clock. TLS-based nodes are particularly sensitive to clock discrepancies.
Finally, keep in mind that free nodes are suitable for temporary learning and testing, and their stability may vary with your network conditions. When you run into problems, don’t keep reimporting the same configuration. Check each item in this order: node format, subscription updates, proxy mode, IP/DNS, and browser environment. This will usually help you find the cause quickly.