V2Ray System Proxy Not Working: Why Browsers Use the Proxy but Terminals Don’t

1. The system proxy setting doesn’t handle every connection

When you choose “Set system proxy” in v2rayN, it writes the local proxy address to the relevant operating system settings. Whether an app uses those settings is up to the app. Browsers commonly read the system proxy, while many command-line tools rely on environment variables or their own config files. So if a browser can reach a URL, that doesn’t mean your terminal is using the proxy.

There are three separate steps in this chain: whether the app uses a proxy, whether the local port accepts requests, and which outbound the core selects. V2Ray or Xray handles traffic in the core; v2rayN manages the desktop configuration. VMess and VLESS are server connection protocols, not proxy types to enter in a browser.

This guide first isolates app-level proxy settings; enabling TUN isn’t the first step. If TUN is already on, it may also capture direct-connection tests. To tell the two entry points apart, note your current settings, then temporarily turn off TUN for comparison.

2. Check v2rayN’s listening port, then test with an explicit proxy

Check the local port shown on the v2rayN main screen, then verify the listening settings under “Settings” → “Parameter settings.” Field names and defaults can vary by version, so don’t assume an HTTP port is always 10809 based on an older guide. The example below assumes 127.0.0.1:10808 is a mixed entry point that supports HTTP. If your entry point supports SOCKS only, use the SOCKS command later in this guide.

1. Confirm the core is running

   Select the server you want to use on the main screen and check the logs for startup failures or port conflicts. Updating a subscription refreshes server details; it doesn’t confirm that a connection has been established.

2. Check the local port

   Open “Settings” → “Parameter settings” and note the actual listening port and supported entry type. After saving changes, confirm that the core has reloaded its configuration.

3. Check that the port is listening

   Run the command below in Windows PowerShell. If nothing is listening, fix the core startup issue before changing browser settings.

4. Specify the proxy explicitly

   Use curl’s --proxy option to specify the entry point directly. This removes the uncertainty around which proxy settings the tool reads.

# Windows PowerShell
Get-NetTCPConnection -State Listen -LocalPort 10808

curl.exe -v --connect-timeout 10 --max-time 25 --proxy http://127.0.0.1:10808 --noproxy "localhost,127.0.0.1" https://example.com/ -o NUL

On Windows, use curl.exe so older versions of Windows PowerShell don’t interpret curl as a different command. On Linux and macOS, use curl and replace the output target NUL with /dev/null. The example bypass list includes only local addresses, so an existing NO_PROXY setting won’t cause the destination URL to bypass the proxy.

3. Browser checks: extensions, manual proxy, and auto-config

If the browser works but the terminal doesn’t, the browser may have its own proxy settings. Conversely, if curl succeeds with an explicit proxy but the browser fails, an extension may still point to an old port. Pick a fixed URL, note where the browser gets its proxy settings, then change one setting at a time so you can compare results.

• v2rayN: In the tray menu, open “System proxy” and select “Auto-configure system proxy.” Then check the address and port actually set in the operating system. If you use an auto-config script, check its rules too.
• Windows: Go to “Settings” → “Network & internet” → “Proxy.” Check “Use setup script” and “Use a proxy server.” Note the existing settings so other networking tools don’t overwrite them without your knowledge.
• Chrome: Go to “Settings” → “System” → “Open your computer’s proxy settings” and check the system proxy. Then open “Extensions” → “Manage extensions” and temporarily disable proxy-switching extensions.
• Firefox: Go to “Settings” → “General” → “Network Settings” → “Settings.” Check whether “Use system proxy settings” or “Manual proxy configuration” is selected. A stale port in manual mode won’t update when the system proxy changes.

An auto-config script can choose a proxy or a direct connection based on the URL, and the system bypass list may exclude certain domains. If only one site bypasses the proxy, check whether it matches one of these rules before switching servers. Browser Secure DNS settings can affect how some domains resolve, but they aren’t a proxy toggle.

4. Terminal checks: set http_proxy and https_proxy

Command-line tools usually won’t use the local proxy just because the system proxy is enabled. Set the variables temporarily in the current terminal first; if the test succeeds, you can decide whether to add them to your user configuration. The address below is for an HTTP proxy or a mixed entry point that supports HTTP. Even for an HTTPS destination, the proxy address can still use the http:// prefix.

Windows PowerShell: change the current session only

$env:http_proxy = "http://127.0.0.1:10808"
$env:https_proxy = "http://127.0.0.1:10808"
$env:no_proxy = "localhost,127.0.0.1"

Get-ChildItem Env: | Where-Object Name -Match 'proxy'
curl.exe -v --connect-timeout 10 --max-time 25 https://example.com/ -o NUL

Setting $env: affects the current PowerShell session and any child processes started afterward; it won’t change another terminal that’s already open. To pass the variables to a development tool, launch it from this session or restart it after changing persistent environment settings.

Linux and macOS: export variables in the current shell

export http_proxy='http://127.0.0.1:10808'
export https_proxy='http://127.0.0.1:10808'
export no_proxy='localhost,127.0.0.1'

env | grep -i proxy
curl -v --connect-timeout 10 --max-time 25 https://example.com/ -o /dev/null

• https_proxy selects a proxy for HTTPS destinations; it doesn’t mean the proxy entry point must use TLS. Using https://127.0.0.1:10808 for a regular HTTP entry point can cause a handshake error.
• curl uses lowercase http_proxy for HTTP proxy settings; don’t set only uppercase HTTP_PROXY. In case-sensitive environments, remove duplicate variables with conflicting values too.
• If the destination matches no_proxy or NO_PROXY, it bypasses the proxy. In particular, check for *, which may send all destinations directly.
• Apps launched from a graphical desktop, administrator processes, and background services may not inherit the current shell’s variables. Some tools also have their own proxy settings; check the precedence rules for the tool you’re using.

Here, 127.0.0.1 must be in the same network environment as v2rayN. In containers, remote SSH sessions, and some virtualized environments, the loopback address points to that environment itself—not your desktop computer. Don’t copy the address as-is, and don’t expose the proxy port to the public internet just to troubleshoot.

5. Tell HTTP, SOCKS, and DNS issues apart

If the entry point supports SOCKS5 only, using it as an HTTP proxy may result in a connection reset or protocol error. Check the local entry type first, then use the matching command. The socks5h option below sends the destination hostname to the proxy for resolution; with plain socks5, curl usually resolves the hostname locally.

# Windows: use the SOCKS5 entry point and resolve the destination hostname through the proxy
curl.exe -v --connect-timeout 10 --max-time 25 --proxy socks5h://127.0.0.1:10808 --noproxy "localhost,127.0.0.1" https://example.com/ -o NUL

# Linux / macOS
curl -v --connect-timeout 10 --max-time 25 --proxy socks5h://127.0.0.1:10808 --noproxy "localhost,127.0.0.1" https://example.com/ -o /dev/null

The end of an error line usually includes the destination address and a more specific cause; keep the full context. If an HTTP proxy returns 200 Connection established, that only confirms the CONNECT tunnel was established. The subsequent TLS handshake or destination request may still fail.

6. After the request reaches the core, check routing and server outbound

A connection to the local entry point doesn’t guarantee the request will go through a remote server. v2rayN routing rules can send some domains or IPs direct. Browsers and terminals may also request different domains, address families, or redirect destinations. Use the exact same URL when comparing results.

You can temporarily increase the log level during testing, but keep it elevated only as long as needed. Before sharing logs, remove sensitive details such as subscription URLs, user identifiers, and visited domains. If logs clearly show a remote handshake or authentication failure, check the VMess, VLESS, or other server settings. That’s separate from whether the terminal reads the system proxy.

7. Restore temporary settings after testing

Temporary environment variables can remain in the terminal, causing command-line tools to keep trying a port that’s no longer open after you exit v2rayN. If you created these variables for this test, remove them using the commands below. If you already had settings for a corporate proxy or development environment, restore the values you noted earlier instead of clearing them.

# Windows PowerShell: remove temporary variables from the current session
Remove-Item Env:http_proxy, Env:https_proxy, Env:no_proxy -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue

# Linux / macOS: remove temporary variables from the current shell
unset http_proxy https_proxy no_proxy

• Retest the same URL in your browser and terminal to confirm the results are as expected.
• Re-enable any extensions, TUN, or auto-config scripts paused for testing. Restore them one at a time and check whether the issue returns.
• If you need to use a proxy long-term, add the verified settings to the relevant user environment or app configuration, and note the port.
• When you change the local listening port, update the environment variables and any manual browser proxy settings too, so stale settings don’t remain in effect.