A reader left me a comment that ExpressVPN’s officially recommended method is temporarily unavailable, but today’s test revealed that it still works. This may be due to different parameters depending on the region, device, and ISP. If you are unable to use the officially recommended “Auto+4 Servers” method for wall-climbing, then you can try IKEv2 for your connection. In fact, ExpressVPN also supports manual configuration of the connection.
Today’s Test Catalog:
1、ExpressVPN Windows10. (Auto + Official Recommend selection)
2、ExpressVPN Windows10. (IKEv2 + Random selection)
3、NordVPN Windows10. (NordLynx)
4、IvacyVPN Windows10. (Auto)
5、PureVPN Windows10. (Network Free)
6、StrongVPN Windows10. (IKEv2)
7、VyprVPN Windows10. (WireGuard)
8、SurfsharkVPN Win10. (IKEv2)
Time efficiency: Time efficiency here refers to the time taken from clicking to connect to the server to the successful connection of the server.
Local device and network: Windows10/200M/WiFi.
ExpressVPN Win10 App Connection Test:
Starting Time: Jul 23, 2020, 2:15 PM.
The following 4 are officially recommended servers.
Protocol: Automatic.
Hong Kong – 4: First success. (Time efficiency: 4m10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: <200Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: can’t connect.
Singapore – Marina Bay: First success. (Time efficiency: 2m)
YouTube Connection Speed: <200Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 299ms. Download: 5.45Mbps. Upload: 1.09Mbps. 
Japan – Yokohama: First success. (Time efficiency: 1m5s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 15000Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 105ms. Download: 68.65Mbps. Upload: 1.96Mbps. 
USA – Los Angeles – 5: First success. (Time efficiency: 50s)
YouTube Connection Speed: <200Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 204ms. Download: 10.17Mbps. Upload: 1.99Mbps. 
The following is the unofficial recommended method.
Protocol: IKEv2.
The servers tested below are randomly selected and will be listed in the order in which they were tested for your reference, regardless of whether the connection was successful or not.
USA – Santa Monica: First success. (Time efficiency: 7s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 7300Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 141ms. Download: 21.03Mbps. Upload: 2.17Mbps. 
USA – New York: First success. (Time efficiency: 9s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 2400Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 221ms. Download: 6.36Mbps. Upload: 1.5Mbps. 
USA – San Francisco: First success. (Time efficiency: 21s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 4900Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 288ms. Download: 5.4Mbps. Upload: 1.7Mbps. 
USA – Chicago: First success. (Time efficiency: 9s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 5400Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 223ms. Download: 9.14Mbps. Upload: 1.36Mbps. 
USA – Washington DC: First success. (Time efficiency: 20s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 5500Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 255ms. Download: 11.46Mbps. Upload: 1.46Mbps. 
Canada – Montreal: Failed. (Try once)
Canada – Vancouver: Failed. (Try once)
Canada – Toronto: First success. (Time efficiency: 6s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 7800Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 234ms. Download: 7.12Mbps. Upload: 1.09Mbps. 
Thailand: Failed. (Try once)
Taiwan – 3: Failed. (Try once)
Vietnam: Failed. (Try once)
UK – London: First success. (Time efficiency: 6s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 5300Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 234ms. Download: 16.05Mbps. Upload: 1.87Mbps. 
Summary: The officially recommended servers are still the same as the previous 4, no increase. I have tested the “Time efficiency”, but at least they can connect successfully, but I don’t think their connection success rate is stable. I also tested the IKEv2 protocol, and it worked very well in the US, but the success rate is much lower in Asia, and I also tested one in the UK, and the connection went smoothly.
In addition, IKEv2 protocol can be used normally in Mac, iPhone, and iPad, and I didn’t test the officially recommended Auto+4 servers. Because these three devices are the ones I use on a regular basis.
ExpressVPN Win10 Version: 7.11.0 (1288). Protocol: Auto/IKEv2
Today’s Test Score: ★ ★ ★ ★
NordVPN Win10 App Connection Test:
Starting Time: Jul 23, 2020, 3:49 PM.
Protocol: NordLynx
“Quick connect”-1: Singapore #2191: Failed. (Try once)
“Quick connect”-2: Singapore #2191: Failed. (Try once)
“Quick connect”-3: Singapore #2191: Failed. (Try once)
“Quick connect”-4: Singapore #2191: Failed. (Try once)
“Quick connect”-5: Taiwan #52: Failed. (Try once)
“Quick connect”-6: Taiwan #63: Failed. (Try once)
“United States”: USA #4872: Failed. (Try once)
“United Kingdom”: UK #1771: Failed. (Try once)
Summary: NordVPN’s Nordlynx protocol was tested in Windows 10, but the results were disappointing, with none of the connections working. If you are a NordVPN user, then I suggest you try to connect manually.
NordVPN Win10 Version: 6.30.10.0 (1288). Protocol: NordLynx
Today’s Test Score: ★
IvacyVPN Win10 App Connection Test:
Starting Time: Jul 23, 2020, 4:08 PM.
Protocol: Auto
United States: First success. (Time efficiency: 53s)
Although it successfully connected to the server, Speedtest could not connect and the YouTube homepage was too slow to open. Google can be used normally.
United Kingdom: First success. (Time efficiency: 50s)
The situation is the same as the “United States” server.
Switerzland: Failed.
Although it shows that the connection is successful, I cannot open YouTube and Google, nor can I connect to the Chinese domestic network.
Singapore: First success. (Time efficiency: 40s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 4900+Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 342ms. Download: 0. 39Mbps. Upload: 1. 65Mbps. 
Netherlands: Failed.
Although it shows that the connection is successful, I cannot open YouTube and Google, nor can I connect to the Chinese domestic network.
Canada: First success. (Time efficiency: 45s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 4900Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 290ms. Download: 0. 45Mbps. Upload: 0. 5Mbps. 
Australia: Second time. (Time efficiency: 55s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 1000Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 299ms. Download: 0. 37Mbps. Upload: 0. 54Mbps. 
France: First success. (Time efficiency: 11s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 6500Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 264ms. Download: 0. 48Mbps. Upload: 1. 43Mbps. 
Hong Kong: First success. (Time efficiency: 25s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 2600Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 124ms. Download: 0. 21Mbps. Upload: 0. 04Mbps. 
Malaysia: Failed. (Try two times)
Belgium: First success. (Time efficiency: 40s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 5500Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 297ms. Download: 0. 51Mbps. Upload: 1. 68Mbps. 
Summary: In the Win10 version of IvacyVPN in China, it has a total of 12 servers. I tested 11 of them. I did not test in Sweden. Because this server will be popped up every time it is tested, it will be regarded as a failure. The test results are as above, and the situation is worse than before. Even if multiple servers appear, they cannot be used normally even if the connection is successful. But I have detailed that such a situation will usually get an official repair in about 2-3 days.
Windows10 IvacyVPN Version: 1. 2. 0. 0. Protocol: Auto
Today’s Test Score: ★ ★ ★
PureVPN Win10 App Connection Test:
Starting Time: Jul 23, 2020, 6:05 PM.
South Korea: First success. (Time efficiency: 55s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 2500Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 198ms. Download: 0.39Mbps. Upload: 1.69Mbps. 
United Kingdom: Failed Success. (Try once)
Singapore: Failed Success. (Try once)
United States: Failed Success. (Try once)
Russia: Failed Success. (Try once)16.58
Canada: First success. (Time efficiency: 10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 3300Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 236ms. Download: 0.69Mbps. Upload: 1.41Mbps. 
Austria: First success. (Time efficiency: 7s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 6700Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 260ms. Download: 0.34Mbps. Upload: 1.89Mbps. 
Czech Republic: Failed Success. (Try once)
Belgium: Failed Success. (Try once)
Germany: Failed Success. (Try once)
Hungary: First success. (Time efficiency: 8s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 6800Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 269ms. Download: 1.3Mbps. Upload: 1.78Mbps. 
Summary: PureVPN’s performance in Windows 10 has declined from the server’s connection success rate. But it may also be due to not enough servers I tested today. It’s just that I used SpeedTest for testing before, which seemed slow, but when I joined YouTube’s speed test, I found that it was actually pretty good.
Windows10 PureVPN Version: 7.1.2 (Model: Network Free)
Today’s Test Score: ★ ★ ★
StrongVPN Win10 App Connection Test:
Starting Time: Jul 23, 2020, 7:12 PM.
⚠️: The Win10 version has been upgraded! The latest version is: 2.6.0.0
The following tests use the IKEv2 protocol:
USA – Dallas: First success. (Time efficiency: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 400Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 250ms. Download: 0.3Mbps. Upload: 1.75Mbps. 
USA – Las Vegas: First success. (Time efficiency:: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 8200Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 191ms. Download: 0.46Mbps. Upload: 2.89Mbps. 
USA – Phoenix: First success. (Time efficiency:: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 3500Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 168ms. Download: 12.46Mbps. Upload: 3.4Mbps. 
USA – Houston: First success. (Time efficiency:: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 4200Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 332ms. Download: 0.35Mbps. Upload: 1.69Mbps. 
USA – Los Angeles: First success. (Time efficiency:: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 7600Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 177ms. Download: 0.7Mbps. Upload: 3.15Mbps. 
UK – London: First success. (Time efficiency:: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 7400Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 282ms. Download: 0.4Mbps. Upload: 1.16Mbps. 
Taiwan – Taipei: First success. (Time efficiency:: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 1000Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 68ms. Download: 1.18Mbps. Upload: 4.73Mbps. 
Canada – Montreal: First success. (Time efficiency:: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 2800Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 237ms. Download: 0.5Mbps. Upload: 2.37Mbps. 
Summary: After the upgrade of StrongVPN to Win10, I felt that the server connection was smoother than before in my test, but the speed after connection needs to be improved. In today’s test, the server connection success rate is very high, but this does not mean that it will always be like this. I will continue to pay attention to the VPN, but at least it shows that its program is upgraded to be more friendly to users in China.
In addition, after testing the above IKEv2 protocol, I quickly tested its WireGuard protocol. The servers are mainly based in the United States. A total of 6 servers have been tested, but they cannot be successfully connected. Due to time constraints, I will not elaborate on them one by one.
StrongVPN Win10 Version: 2.6.0.0. Protocol: IKEv2
Today’s Test Score: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
VyprVPN Win10 App Connection Test:
Starting Time: Jul 23, 2020, 8:06 PM.
Protocol: WireGuard
Fastest Server: Failed；(Try once, The prompt is as follows )
Troubleshoot Connection:
Unable to establish a connection to your selected server. Do you want us to automatically troubleshoot your connection?
Canada: Failed；(Try once, The following as Fastest server)
Japan: Failed；(Try once, The following as Fastest server)
Macao: Failed；(Try once, The following as Fastest server)
South Korea: Failed；(Try once, The following as Fastest server)
USA – Chicago: Failed；(Try once, The following as Fastest server)
Summary: The test results of VyprVPN in Windows 10 show that it is currently unavailable.
VyprVPN Windows Version: 4.0.1.10489 Protocol: WireGuard
Today’s Test Score: ★
SurfsharkVPN Win10 App Connection Test:
Starting Time: Jul 23, 2020, 8:10 PM.
Fastest Server – Taiwan: First success. (Time efficiency: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 200Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 218ms. Download: 0.58Mbps. Upload: 0.96Mbps. 
USA – Denver: First success. (Time efficiency: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 5000Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 166ms. Download: 13.72Mbps. Upload: 2.44Mbps. 
USA – Chicago: First success. (Time efficiency: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 500Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 203ms. Download: 3.08Mbps. Upload: 1.8Mbps. 
Denmark: First success. (Time efficiency: <10s)
YouTube Connection Speed: 8600Kbps.
Speedtest Ping: 222ms. Download: 6.3Mbps. Upload: 1.38Mbps. 
Summary: The current situation of SurfsharkVPN’s China VPN in Windows 10 is normal.
SurfsharkVPN Win10 Version: 2.6.6. Protocol: IKEv2
Today’s Test Score: ★ ★ ★ ★
