V2Ray with VLESS protocol is one of the most effective tools for protecting your internet connection in 2026. Let’s explore how it works.
What Is V2Ray, XRay, V2Fly
History
- 2015: V2Ray project appeared (Project V)
- 2020: original development stopped
- 2020+: forks appeared: V2Fly and XRay
Architecture
Inbounds (incoming) → Routing → Outbounds (outgoing)
Modular architecture allows:
- Combining protocols
- Flexible routing configuration
- Traffic masking
XRay vs V2Ray
| Criteria | XRay | V2Ray |
|---|---|---|
| Activity | Actively developed | Development stopped |
| REALITY | Supported | No |
| Performance | Optimized | Basic |
| Recommendation | Use this | Outdated |
VLESS Protocol
VLESS is a lightweight transport protocol that replaced VMess.
VLESS Advantages
| Advantage | Description |
|---|---|
| Speed | Minimal overhead |
| Masking | No characteristic signatures |
| Flexibility | Works with various transports |
| Efficiency | Low resource consumption |
Supported Transports
- TCP
- WebSocket
- HTTP/2
- gRPC
- QUIC
Encryption
VLESS doesn’t encrypt traffic itself - external layers do:
- TLS
- XTLS
- REALITY
This reduces load and improves masking.
REALITY Technology
REALITY is an extension that makes VPN traffic indistinguishable from regular HTTPS.
How It Works
- Real site imitation: traffic looks like connection to legitimate site (e.g., microsoft.com)
- Real certificates: uses actual TLS certificates of target site
- No own certificates: no need to obtain and renew certificates
Traffic Protection
| Protection Type | REALITY |
|---|---|
| Encryption | AES-256 |
| Masking | As HTTPS |
| Active probing | Protected |
Active Probing
Analysis systems may “check” suspicious connections:
- See suspicious traffic
- Connect to server themselves
- Check server response
REALITY protects: during probing, server responds like a real website.
Vision Technology
Vision is an XTLS optimization for even better masking.
Advantages
- Minimizes differences from real TLS traffic
- Optimizes performance
- Reduces latency
Protocol Comparison
| Protocol | Speed | Security | Masking |
|---|---|---|---|
| VLESS+REALITY | High | Excellent | Excellent |
| WireGuard | Very high | High | Low |
| OpenVPN | Medium | High | Weak |
| Shadowsocks | High | High | Medium |
| Hysteria2 | Very high | High | Medium |
V2Ray/XRay Clients
Windows
- v2rayN: popular, many settings
- Nekoray: modern interface
- Hiddify: universal
macOS
- V2Box: native for macOS
- Shadowrocket: paid, powerful
Android
- v2rayNG: main client
- Hiddify: convenient interface
- NekoBox: advanced
iOS
- Shadowrocket (~$3) - best choice
- V2Box: free alternative
Linux
- sing-box: via command line
- Nekoray: with GUI
Setup
What You Need
- VPN subscription with VLESS support
- Client for your platform
- Configuration (link or QR code)
Process
- Install client
- Import configuration
- Connect
Most providers give ready configurations - no manual setup needed.
FAQ
Is VLESS a VPN?
Technically it’s a proxy protocol, but properly configured it works as full VPN: encrypts traffic, changes IP, protects connection.
Why XRay, not V2Ray?
V2Ray stopped development in 2020. XRay is its improved fork with REALITY support and better performance.
Is VLESS secure?
Yes. Encryption is provided at TLS/REALITY level, matching banking security standards.
Summary
VLESS with REALITY is one of the most secure protocols in 2026. It masks VPN traffic as regular HTTPS and provides reliable encryption.
Tainet uses VLESS+REALITY for maximum connection protection.
