The network environment is constantly changing, and older versions of v2rayN and the kernel may one day be unable to connect to large areas. Staying updated is key to stable usage. The main points are: Client, kernel, geo data are updated separately, don't just update one.
1Three things are updated separately
- v2rayN client: It's the interface program itself. Updates bring new features, new interfaces, and bug fixes.
- Xray/sing-box kernel: A real workhorse, updates bring new protocol support and connectivity improvements. This is the most important.
- geo data (geosite/geoip): The "domestic and foreign domain name/IP database" used for routing distribution has been updated to make "Bypassing Mainland China" more accurate.
If the connection fails, update the kernel first, instead of updating the interface first: If you encounter a large area that cannot be connected, or the new protocol node does not work, the first step should be to update the kernel separately. Many people only updated the v2rayN interface, but the kernel is still old and the problems remain the same.
2Use "Check for Updates" to get it all in one place
menu "Check for updates" It is usually divided into several items, just click update respectively:
- Check v2rayN for updates: When a new version is available, you will be prompted to download it, and some versions can be automatically replaced and restarted.
- Update Xray kernel / update sing-box kernel: Update the corresponding kernels to the latest ones respectively.
- Update geo data: Refresh the offload database.
3Manually update the kernel (alternative method)
If "Check for Updates" cannot be pulled due to network problems, you can do it manually: Go to Xray-core's GitHub Releases to download the kernel compressed package corresponding to the Windows version, and unzip it. xray.exe, replace the v2rayN directory bin folder (or corresponding kernel directory), just restart v2rayN. The same goes for sing-box.
4What to do if something goes wrong after updating
- Unable to connect after update: Occasionally new kernels are incompatible with older configurations. You can "restart the service" first; if that still doesn't work, re-update the subscription and reselect the node.
- Update failed/download interrupted: Most likely, there is no agent or the agent is unstable during the update. You can first connect to an existing node and then update, or use the manual method above.
- Interface exception after update: In rare cases, the new version configuration is incompatible, so back it up and delete it.
guiNConfig.jsonReconfiguration (see Start error handling).
Please note the subscription address before updating: If something goes wrong with the update and the configuration needs to be reset, all nodes can be restored in a few clicks with the subscription address in hand, with minimal loss.