Why AI tools depend more on route quality
AI tools work over long-lived connections with streaming output. A single reply can run for tens of seconds, with text arriving in chunks; if the connection stutters midway, all the user sees is a blinking cursor and a half-finished sentence. Problems like this have little to do with peak bandwidth and much more to do with packet loss and link jitter.
Region checks happen in three places: sign-up, sign-in and the chat itself. If the exit region at any of these steps does not match the account region, extra verification can be triggered. So being able to open the page and being able to use it reliably are two different things — the latter requires a fixed exit.
IP risk controls look at how many users share an exit address. The more users stacked on the same exit, the higher the chance of CAPTCHAs and rate limits. When choosing a route, exit quality matters more than the city name.
Most AI services sit behind a CDN and a protection layer at the entry point, and the handshake is sensitive to latency. The more hops a cross-border path takes, the slower the first byte comes back, and the page simply looks like it is loading forever.
Tool by tool: route requirements for major AI tools
Each entry below covers only three things: where the region check happens, what the connection looks like, and which route type to use. For specific cities and available regions, see the routes page; what follows is guidance on picking a type.
ChatGPT
Relay- Region checkSign-up, sign-in and chat all read the exit region; keeping the three consistent is the simplest setup.
- Connection profileStreaming responses in the browser, so the connection must stay up for the whole reply; attachments upload in chunks.
- Suggested routeRelay with a Japan or Singapore exit, used consistently over time.
- Common pitfallSwitching routes mid-conversation can trigger re-verification on the next request.
Claude
IEPL dedicated line- Region checkThe sign-in check is strict; several failures in a short window raise the verification frequency.
- Connection profileLong replies mean long streaming sessions, so link stability matters more than peak bandwidth.
- Suggested routeIEPL dedicated line with a Hong Kong exit that never changes.
- Common pitfallSwitching between exits in several countries within a minute is the fastest way to trigger a second verification.
Gemini
Relay- Region checkTied to the account's region setting; an exit region that matches the account region is more stable.
- Connection profileHeavy page assets, so first paint is sensitive to time to first byte.
- Suggested routeRelay with a Hong Kong or Tokyo exit.
- Common pitfallChanging the account region and then switching routes makes it hard to tell which side caused the problem.
Copilot
Relay- Region checkTied to the account; the web app and the IDE extension share the same check.
- Connection profileCompletion requests are short and frequent, so latency matters; chat requests last longer.
- Suggested routeRelay with a Tokyo exit, shared by the extension and the web app.
- Common pitfallIf the browser works but the extension does not, check the editor's own proxy settings first.
Midjourney
Direct- Region checkUsed inside Discord, so the check mostly happens at the Discord sign-in step.
- Connection profileA persistent long connection; image delivery uses downstream, reference-image uploads use upstream.
- Suggested routeDirect with a Los Angeles exit to cut relay hops.
- Common pitfallWhen a large image upload fails, switch to a direct route first, then check the file size.
Cursor
Relay / IEPL dedicated line- Region checkRelated to the account's sign-in region; requests from the editor and from the command line use the same exit.
- Connection profileRequests inside the editor are short and frequent; command-line and CI traffic is a separate path.
- Suggested routeRelay or IEPL dedicated line with a Hong Kong exit, shared by the command line and the extension.
- Common pitfallEnvironment variables exported in a terminal are not passed to an editor launched from the GUI.
Tool × route comparison
The same route type behaves much the same across tools; the differences come mainly from the connection pattern. The table below puts all six tools side by side. The exit regions are options, not the only answer.
| Tool | Connection profile | Suggested route type | Exit region | Watch out for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Streaming in the browser, long connection lasting tens of seconds | Relay | Japan / Singapore | Keep sign-in and chat on the same exit |
| Claude | Long streaming replies; the sign-in check is strict | IEPL dedicated line | Hong Kong | Avoid switching exits within a short window |
| Gemini | Heavy page assets; first paint is latency-sensitive | Relay | Hong Kong / Tokyo | Keep it consistent with the account region |
| Copilot | Completion requests are short and frequent; chat requests run longer | Relay | Tokyo | Web app and extension share the same exit |
| Midjourney | Persistent Discord connection; image delivery uses bandwidth | Direct | Los Angeles | Watch upstream when uploading reference images |
| Cursor | Frequent requests in the editor; the command line is a separate path | Relay / IEPL dedicated line | Hong Kong | Configure the command line and the extension separately |
Sign-up and sign-in pitfalls
Most problems where the connection is up but the service still will not work happen at the account level, not the route level. Working through the list below in order saves a lot of back-and-forth troubleshooting.
- Match the account region to the exit region.Keep the region you entered when signing up for an AI tool consistent with the exit region you use afterwards, and verification prompts drop noticeably.
- Once sign-in works, stick to one route.Using the same route for several days in a row is more stable than switching to a new city every day.
- Use the same exit for payments as for sign-in.Subscriptions and renewals are the most sensitive to region changes; switching exits midway often fails.
- This service does not require an email address — a username and password are enough.The AI tools themselves still need their own accounts, so do not mix the two up.
- One subscription covers unlimited devices.Running several devices at once is fine, but give each device a fixed route rather than picking at random.
Note:Do not spread sign-up, sign-in and payment across exits in three different countries. It is one of the most common causes of second-step verification, and it is very hard to spot from the error message.
Web app and API calls: different requirements
With the same tool, working in the browser does not mean working from the command line. The browser uses a long-lived connection, while the command line uses short requests plus SDK retries — the two fail in completely different ways.
Web app
- The browser holds a long connection to the server, and it cannot drop during streaming output.
- The protection layer looks at the exit address, browser fingerprint and cookies at the same time; a sudden change in all three is easy to flag.
- Attachments upload in chunks, so an unstable upstream stalls at the upload stage.
- Pages embed several domains, so split-tunnel rules need to allow the whole block rather than a single domain.
API and developer scenarios
- Short HTTPS requests; failures usually show up as timeouts or 4xx, and you have to write the retry logic yourself.
- The command line, IDE extensions and CI each have their own proxy settings and do not inherit from one another.
- A fixed exit matters more than low latency; frequent exit changes make risk controls re-evaluate you.
- The subscription URL is an account credential — never commit it to a repository or CI configuration.
The most common trap on the command line is an environment variable that never actually took effect. Confirm it is exported in the shell, then confirm it has been entered separately in the editor or extension.
# Command line: point the SDK at the local proxy
export HTTPS_PROXY="http://127.0.0.1:7890"
export HTTP_PROXY="http://127.0.0.1:7890"
export NO_PROXY="localhost,127.0.0.1"Note:An editor launched from the GUI does not inherit environment variables from your terminal. A request that works in the terminal can still time out in the editor's built-in terminal or in an extension, so enter it once in the editor's proxy settings.
Common failure symptoms and causes
The six symptoms below account for the vast majority. Work from the bottom up: check the local network first, then the route exit, and only then suspect the account.
| Symptom | Common cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The page spins forever and no text appears | The long connection was dropped, or the exit has high packet loss | Switch to another relay route in the same region and reload the page |
| Verification is demanded right after sign-in | The exit region does not match the account region | Fix the exit region, then sign in again |
| 403 or access denied | The exit address is flagged by risk controls | Move to another exit and avoid heavily shared addresses |
| Streaming stops halfway | The local network is switching between Wi-Fi and cellular | Turn off auto-switching and retry the same request |
| Attachment upload fails | Not enough upstream bandwidth; chunked upload times out | Use a direct route, or reduce the file size |
| The browser works but the command line times out | The proxy environment variable is not in effect | Check the shell variables and the editor settings |
Choosing a route
You do not need a separate route for every tool. Four categories cover everyday use:
- Mostly chatting:prefer a relay, keep the exit in one region, and do not change it on every connection.
- Sign-in, payment, second-step verification:use an IEPL dedicated line with an exit that matches the account region.
- Developers:use the same route for the command line, IDE extensions and CI so the three exits do not diverge.
- Uploading images and large files:go direct to cut relay hops and keep upstream steadier.
Route types and the city list are on All Routes; pricing and billing periods are on the plans page.
Subscription and pricing
Monthly plans: ¥9.9/month for 60GB, ¥18/month for 250GB, ¥28/month for 500GB, with data resetting each month on the activation date. Data packs: ¥158/300GB, ¥358/1000GB, ¥658/3000GB, valid until used up, never expiring.
90+ countries / 190+ routes, unlimited devices, Alipay / WeChat / USDT accepted, 14-day money-back guarantee.
Common questions
How many devices can one subscription connect at the same time?
Unlimited. Windows, macOS, iOS, Android and Linux can all use the same subscription at once; give each device a fixed route to reduce verification triggered by exit changes.
It works in the browser but the command line keeps timing out?
The command line does not read the browser's proxy settings. First confirm the proxy variables are exported in the shell, then check whether the target domain is allowed by your exclusion list; editor extensions usually need the setting entered separately as well.
Do I need to sign in to the AI tools again after switching routes?
Usually not, but a change of exit region may trigger one verification. Keep the same account on one exit region as much as possible — sign-in, payment and chat all through it.
Monthly plan or data pack — which should I choose?
If you use it every day, take a monthly plan; data resets each month on the activation date. If you only need it occasionally or as a backup, take a data pack: valid until used up, never expiring.
How do I request a refund?
A 14-day money-back guarantee applies; see the terms of use in the footer for details.