ExpressVPN Ligntway-UDP Connect Failed in China

July 28, 2021 China VPN test, at around 10pm last night when I connected to ExpressVPN’s Lightway-UDP via Telecom 4G and WiFi, I found that my most commonly used “Lightway-UDP protocol + USA – New York server” method was no longer available. I tried 4-5 US servers without success. Finally I switched the protocol to “Automatic + Official Recommended Server” Hong Kong – 4 and I was able to connect quickly and successfully. Today I would like to run a more comprehensive test of Lightway-UDP to see what its current state is. The test will be done on a Windows 10 device.

The daily speed test will help you understand the following three things:
1. the success rate of the VPN’s server connection in the device under test.
2. the server connection time efficiency of the VPN in the device under test.
3. the speed of the VPN after a successful connection to the server in the device under test.

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ExpressVPN last 6 test reports: [See More]Checking out multiple test reports can help you understand more effectively how this VPN works in the long run. This site has opened a new [Micro test] column, which is a way to test “single device + single protocol + single server” through “fragmented” free time.

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Starting Time: Jul 28, 2021, 8:41 AM
Local device and network: China Telecom 300M / Windows；
Protocol: Automatic / Lightway-UDP / IKEv2；
Version: 10.4.1.(2)-Win10; 
Official Best Deals: New User Free 3 Months
Servers: Random；

Automatic + Windows10  Test in China:

Auto – Singapore – Marina Bay: First success; (Time efficiency: 6s) 
Speedtest Ping: 268ms. Download: 188.42Mbps. Upload: 34.26Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 29795Kbps;

Auto – USA – Los Angeles – 5: First success; (Time efficiency: 8s) 
Speedtest Ping: 161ms. Download: 179.29Mbps. Upload: 33.45Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 38534Kbps;

Auto – UK – Wembley: First success; (Time efficiency: 7s) 
Speedtest Ping: 252ms. Download: 142.46Mbps. Upload: 33.89Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 58919Kbps;

Auto – USA – Santa Monica: First success; (Time efficiency: 3s) 
Speedtest Ping: 160ms. Download: 111.94Mbps. Upload: 31.43Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 16939Kbps;

Auto – Hong Kong – 4: First success; (Time efficiency: 7s) 
Speedtest Ping: 320ms. Download: 153.64Mbps. Upload: 31.34Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 22713Kbps;

Auto – Japan – Yokohama: First success; (Time efficiency: 6s) 
Speedtest Ping: 97ms. Download: 46.01Mbps. Upload: 38.24Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 366Kbps;

The Way Score: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
ExpressVPN Official Page: New User Free 3 Months

Lightway-UDP + Windows10 Test in China:

Lightway-UDP – USA – Los Angeles – 5: First success; (Time efficiency: 5s) 
Speedtest Ping: 176ms. Download: 168.48Mbps. Upload: 40.22Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 34786Kbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Santa Monica: First success; (Time efficiency: 4s) 
Speedtest Ping: 140ms. Download: 124.36Mbps. Upload: 37.36Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 32556Kbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – New York: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – San Francisco: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Chicago: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Washington DC: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Dallas: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Miami: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Los Angeles – 3: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – New Jersey – 1: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Washington DC – 2: First success; (Time efficiency: 6s) 
Speedtest Ping: 246ms. Download: 138.21Mbps. Upload: 33.48Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 17389Kbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Los Angeles – 2: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – New Jersey – 3: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Seattle: First success; (Time efficiency: 6s) 
Speedtest Ping: 152ms. Download: 109.03Mbps. Upload: 30.37Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 42930Kbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Miami – 2: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Denver: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Salt Lake City: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Tampa – 1: First success; (Time efficiency: 7s) 
Speedtest Ping: 206ms. Download: 140.83Mbps. Upload: 0.71Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 22335Kbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Los Angeles – 1: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – New York – 2: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – New Jersey – 2: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Hollywood: First success; (Time efficiency: 5s) 
Speedtest Ping: 167ms. Download: 179.64Mbps. Upload: 27.91Mbps;
YouTube Connection Speed: 15176Kbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Dallas – 2: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Los Angeles: Failedd; (Try one times)
Lightway-UDP – USA – Atlanta: Failedd; (Try one times)

Lightway-UDP Score: ★ ★ ☆
ExpressVPN Official Page: New user Free 3 Months

KEv2 + Windows10 Test in China:

First of all, the protocol of the app is switched to IKEv2, this is both to tell you and to remind yourself not to forget, so as not to cause wrong protocol test results. Also the following test I will choose to test the server that failed to connect to Lightway-udp in the above test to see if IKEv2 can make up for the defects of Lightway-udp. Also to speed up the test, I will omit the YouTube connection speed test.

Lightway-UDP – USA – New York: First success; (Time efficiency: 17s) 
Speedtest Ping: 209ms. Download: 106.34Mbps. Upload: 7.29Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – San Francisco: First success; (Time efficiency: 9s) 
Speedtest Ping: 270ms. Download: 159.19Mbps. Upload: 2.78Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Chicago: First success; (Time efficiency: 5s) 
Speedtest Ping: 183ms. Download: 184.33Mbps. Upload: 3.44Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Washington DC: First success; (Time efficiency: 8s) 
Speedtest Ping: 222ms. Download: 160.48Mbps. Upload: 7.14Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Dallas: First success; (Time efficiency: 4s) 
Speedtest Ping: 190ms. Download: 170.27Mbps. Upload: 13.91Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Miami: First success; (Time efficiency: 5s) 
Speedtest Ping: 230ms. Download: 177.1Mbps. Upload: 5.55Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Los Angeles – 3: First success; (Time efficiency: 4s) 
Speedtest Ping: 200ms. Download: 205.73Mbps. Upload: 3.49Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – New Jersey – 1: First success; (Time efficiency: 17s) 
Speedtest Ping: 223ms. Download: 168.6Mbps. Upload: 3.28Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – Los Angeles – 2: First success; (Time efficiency: 3s) 
Speedtest Ping: 148ms. Download: 201.13Mbps. Upload: 10.37Mbps;

Lightway-UDP – USA – New Jersey – 3: First success; (Time efficiency: 12s) 
Speedtest Ping: 215ms. Download: 190.08Mbps. Upload: 6.62Mbps;

IKEv2 Score: ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
ExpressVPN Official Page: New user free 3 months

Summary: The three protocols of ExpressVPN were tested in Windows 10, and from the test results, the officially recommended “Auto+6 servers” connection is still very stable and fast in mainland China. The protocol was introduced in March this year, from the very beginning most of the servers can be connected quickly and successfully, and maintain a good speed; this situation has continued until July, the protocol server connection success rate plummeted, currently only a small number of servers can be connected, but thankfully the connection is successful with good. Finally, there is the IKEv2 protocol, which has remained stable for a long time as of now since it was discovered in the second half of 2019 that the protocol could be used for walling in mainland China. Today IKEv2 tested Lightway-UDP failed servers, and all connected successfully, the stability of this protocol is seen excellent.

    As of now ExpressVPN is still the No1 secure and reliable VPN in mainland China. Its biggest feature is that Windows, Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android and other devices can be connected through its APP.

Server connection success rate: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆
Time efficiency success rate: ★ ★ ★ ★
Speed success rate: ★ ★ ★ ★ ☆