VPN for your computer: one client, the whole machine
A laptop leaves the house more often than you think. Set it up once.
A key, a client and the right mode
A computer needs three things to use Softech VPN: the key from the Telegram bot, a free client that speaks VLESS, and that client set to cover the whole machine rather than just the browser. The key is the same one you use on your phone and counts as one of five devices. The client depends on the system, and the mode is where most setups go wrong.
If it can run sing-box or Xray, it can take the key. Tell the bot what you use and it will point you to a client.
Ask in the botWhich client on which system
- On Windows, Hiddify or v2rayN, both free and open source.
- Mac users can install V2Box through the App Store, or Hiddify from its releases page.
- On Linux, Hiddify, which ships as an AppImage and a .deb package, or v2rayN.
- On a Chromebook, an Android client such as Hiddify or v2rayNG from the Play Store.
Full-device mode or system proxy
Most desktop clients can run in two ways. As a system proxy, they ask apps to route through them, and browsers comply, but game launchers, some chat apps and command-line tools often ignore the request. In full-device mode, usually labelled TUN or VPN, the client adds a network adapter that all traffic must cross.
Choose full-device mode on any laptop that joins public Wi-Fi. It asks for administrator rights once, and after that nothing slips around the tunnel. On a shared family computer, remember that full-device mode covers every user account while it runs.
A browser extension is not the same thing
VPN extensions in the Chrome Web Store protect the browser and nothing else: the mail client, the game launcher and system updates go around them. A VLESS key also needs a real client, since no browser extension reads it. If someone in the house only wants the browser covered, an extension is fine, but it is a different tool.
Work and school computers
- Do not install a client on a managed laptop without permission.
- If the company already runs its own VPN, two VPNs at once usually break each other.
- School Chromebooks are set up by an administrator who decides what can be installed.
- Keep personal browsing on your own phone or laptop instead.
Sources
- v2rayN on GitHubchecked 2026-10-03
- Hiddify releases on GitHubchecked 2026-10-03
- Set up virtual private networks (VPNs), Chromebook Helpchecked 2026-10-03
Questions
Can I use the same key on my laptop and phone?
Yes. One key covers up to five devices at once.
Which client is easiest on a computer?
Hiddify: it looks the same on Windows, Mac, Linux and Android.
Does the VPN slow down downloads?
A little, by the distance to the server. The nearest server keeps it small.
Why does the client ask for administrator rights?
Full-device mode adds a network adapter, which every system treats as an admin task.
Can I use a VPN on a work laptop?
Only with your employer's permission. Use your own device otherwise.
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