Regions
Check exit locations by region
An exit location tells you where a website sees your connection coming from. A route type describes how traffic reaches that exit. These are separate details to consider.
The table below lists popular regions as a starting point. Countries, cities and route names are not added where no official list is available. Sign in to the dashboard to see current options in Europe and other regions. Overall coverage is 90+ countries and 210+ routes; this is not the number of examples in the table.
A region in a route name can indicate the exit location, but it does not tell you the data center city, transmission method or whether a platform will work. Streaming access can depend on your account region, content licensing and how the platform evaluates the exit. The “Streaming access” column explains what to check; it does not promise that a location will always work.
On narrow screens, swipe horizontally to view the table. Check the dashboard for current cities, route types and available regions.
| Country / Region | City | Route type | Streaming access |
|---|---|---|---|
| Asia Pacific | |||
| Hong Kong | Check the dashboard | Check the dashboard | Check the platform’s regional rules and test playback |
| Japan | Check the dashboard | Check the dashboard | Check the platform’s regional rules and test playback |
| Singapore | Check the dashboard | Check the dashboard | Check the platform’s regional rules and test playback |
| North America | |||
| United States | Check the dashboard | Check the dashboard | Check the platform’s regional rules and test playback |
| Canada | Check the dashboard | Check the dashboard | Check the platform’s regional rules and test playback |
| Europe | |||
| See the dashboard for available countries | Check the dashboard | Check the dashboard | Check the target platform and test the route |
| Other regions | |||
| See the dashboard for available countries / regions | Check the dashboard | Check the dashboard | Check the target platform and test the route |
Transmission paths
Dedicated, relayed and direct routes
The following describes general network routing principles; it is not a statement about how VPNHear configures each route. Check the dashboard to see which route types are available and where they apply.
IEPL dedicated routes: planned transmission segments
IEPL generally refers to an international Ethernet private line. It uses dedicated transmission arrangements provided by carriers to connect locations. The term describes how a segment is organized, not a capability dedicated to a particular app. Your device’s route to the service entry point and the exit’s route to the destination website are separate paths. The IEPL label does not mean the entire connection uses one dedicated route.
This type of arrangement may suit situations where continuity matters and transmission fluctuations are disruptive, such as long meetings or ongoing access to workplace services. Dedicated transmission resources typically come with higher operating costs, but the label alone does not guarantee a particular experience, fixed speed or exclusive resources. When choosing a route, consider the entry point, destination region and performance during your usual hours.
Relayed routes: traffic routed through an entry point
A relayed route sends traffic to an intermediate entry point before forwarding it along a later link to the exit. This can adjust the path by making use of the entry point’s location, carrier interconnections and onward transmission arrangements. An extra hop does not necessarily mean a slower connection. If it avoids a poor interconnection on the original path, it may provide a steadier experience.
Relayed routes may suit networks where direct access to an overseas exit is unreliable but the intermediate entry point is reachable. Costs depend on the combination of entry servers, forwarding resources and onward transmission, so relayed routes do not always fall between dedicated and direct routes in price. A relay label does not guarantee streaming access; platforms primarily assess the exit and account conditions.
Direct routes: dependent on the local path to the exit
A direct route generally means the device connects to an overseas service exit without an additional relay entry point set up by the provider. This removes a provider-side forwarding step, but traffic still follows normal routes through the local carrier and the public internet. A simpler-looking path is not necessarily physically shorter, and different carriers may deliver different results.
If the connection between your local network and the destination region is suitable, a direct route may be worth trying for everyday access. It typically avoids the overhead of additional relay resources, but quality exits and interconnection resources still cost money, so the label alone is not a reliable guide to price. If performance varies in the evening, compare routes against your local network and actual tasks rather than assuming one route type is inherently faster.
Route type describes the transmission arrangement; the exit IP’s properties are a separate matter. Seeing IEPL, relayed or direct does not confirm that the exit uses a residential network or predict how a platform will classify it. If you need access to a particular service, check its regional and account rules, then test the connection in practice.
Start with your use case
Choose a route for the task
Decide what you need to access, then choose an exit region. Geographic distance is only one consideration; route quality and the target service’s rules matter too.
Everyday browsing
If you have no specific regional requirement, start by comparing popular locations such as Hong Kong, Japan and Singapore. Open sites you use regularly and check that pages, images and sign-ins work as expected. Keep the routes that suit your current network. One successful page load does not tell you how every site will perform.
For everyday use, pick one primary route and keep an alternative available. Frequent exit changes may prompt websites to ask you to verify your sign-in again, interrupting your work and making account issues look like connection problems. Save anything you are editing before switching routes.
Streaming
Before streaming, check the region where the title is available and confirm that your account and plan allow playback. Being able to open a platform’s homepage does not mean a particular title will play. Playback starting does not guarantee that your device, browser and plan support the desired picture quality either. The route provides the network connection; the platform controls content licensing.
Once you have confirmed the region, test the specific title: start playback, seek through the video and check for interruptions. If you see a region or proxy warning, note the full message and check the exit against the platform’s rules. Avoid repeatedly changing your account region to improve picture quality. For details on regional catalogs and playback issues, see the Streaming Access Guide.
Accessing AI tools
Check the service’s official supported regions and account requirements before choosing an exit. A working connection does not guarantee that you can sign in, use a particular model or complete a payment. The issue may relate to account permissions or the service’s own rules; changing routes may not help.
For regular use, try to keep your exit region and access environment consistent. Test more than the sign-in page: complete a conversation, file operation or another task you rely on. If something goes wrong, note the error message and where it occurred so you can distinguish a page that will not load from a failed sign-in or restricted feature access.
Gaming
Before connecting, check your account region, game server location and the game’s rules on network tools. An international route service is not the same as a dedicated gaming accelerator. A route that works for browsing or streaming may not suit real-time play. The game’s network protocol and matchmaking region also affect performance.
For a fair comparison, keep the game region, local network and client settings unchanged. Check for disconnections and whether controls and voice chat work normally. Do not switch routes during a match or while important progress is syncing. If the game requires specific routing support, ask the service provider before relying on a country name alone.
Working across borders
For work, check your company’s security policies first. If a business system requires a specified exit, an enterprise connection or managed devices, follow your company’s instructions. A regular subscription does not replace enterprise authorization. For remote desktops, document collaboration and meetings, test the entire workflow.
Before an important meeting or file transfer, verify your sign-in and commonly used features, and note the name of a route that works. Switching connections during an upload may interrupt it, so make changes after the task is complete. VPNHear supports unlimited simultaneous devices, but check each device’s client status and local network separately.
Troubleshooting steps
When a connection fails, identify where the problem is
A client showing “connected” only reports its connection status; it does not confirm that every destination service is accessible. First check whether your local network can open ordinary websites. Then check that your subscription has been imported and the intended route is selected, and finally test the target website. This helps avoid changing account or client settings repeatedly when the local network is already having problems.
- Check your account and subscription. Confirm your plan, data allowance and subscription status in the dashboard. Follow the dashboard instructions when refreshing your subscription. Do not share screenshots showing full subscription details in public channels or paste your account credentials into third-party diagnostic pages.
- Check which route is in use. Make sure the client has not selected an old entry and that the target app is using the connection as intended. If you use per-app rules, check that the app is included.
- Change one setting at a time. Keep the exit region the same while trying another available route. Then, if the target service allows it, try a different region. Changing just one condition at a time makes it easier to identify what affected the result.
- Keep useful troubleshooting details. Note the route name, platform, step where the issue occurred and any error message. When submitting a support ticket, hide credentials and subscription details so the support team can distinguish local settings, route connectivity and target service rules.
Use the same troubleshooting sequence when performance changes in the evening. Background downloads on your home network, Wi-Fi signal changes, carrier interconnections and the target website’s own status can all affect access. Pause unrelated high-bandwidth tasks before comparing routes; the results will be clearer than if you change your network, region and client settings all at once.
Accounts and data
Usage rules beyond route selection
When choosing a route, check your data usage and billing method separately. Monthly plans: ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB, and ¥28/month for 500GB. Data resets monthly on the activation date. Mid-cycle upgrades are prorated for the remaining days. Data add-ons: ¥158/300GB, ¥358/1000GB and ¥658/3000GB; they are used until depleted and never expire. See the plans page for billing details. Do not infer plan features from a route name.
VPNHear supports Windows / macOS / iOS / Android / Linux, with unlimited simultaneous devices. Get the client and subscription through the user dashboard; sign-in is required to retrieve a subscription. The dashboard handles access requirements for each platform. Unlimited devices does not mean unlimited data, so check the allowance for your plan before use.
Create an account with a username and password; no email address is required. Payment methods include Alipay / WeChat Pay / USDT, and purchases are covered by a 14-day money-back guarantee. See the privacy policy for details of the no-logs policy and the terms of service for full service rules and refund terms. Network connectivity and eligibility for a target platform are separate matters. When using international services, follow their regional, content and account rules.