Lvcha VPN is a system tunnel. Stack a Windows manual proxy, a PAC URL, or SwitchyOmega, and only some tabs enter the tunnel. For diagnosis: OS proxy off, extensions off, Lvcha VPN only, then compare egress on two tabs.
Campus clients and game boosters love to leave a PAC behind. The tray says Connected while Chrome still talks to a local port.
Clear the OS proxy
Windows: Settings → Network → Proxy, disable the manual server and empty the script URL. macOS: Network → Details → Proxies, untick HTTP/HTTPS/SOCKS. Reconnect Lvcha VPN and open 1.1.1.1/help.
Then the extensions
Disable only proxy extensions and reload. If the IP suddenly matches the client, the plugin was steering. Need per-site control? Use Lvcha split tunneling, not a second rule engine.
Stacked-accelerator fingerprints
| Symptom | Likely cause |
|---|---|
| Only sites with a glowing extension icon load | Plugin split, VPN unused |
| Every HTTPS cert warns | Local HTTPS inspection |
| curl works, the browser does not | Browser-only proxy |
Still dead after a clean stack? No-traffic guide. Builds: download. Basics: FAQ, guides.
Field questions tied to this guide
- I already have a proxy extension. Still need the VPN? The VPN already covers the browser. The extension is a second hop. Turn it off for daily use.
- Work mandates a PAC. Keep PAC in the work browser profile. Use a clean profile for Lvcha VPN. Do not combine them on the same profile.
- Traffic still hits 127.0.0.1 after I disable the proxy. An extension hard-coded it. Disable extensions or create a fresh profile.
- Phones? Rarely PAC; often a second VPN plus per-app split. One tunnel at a time.
Change one control, then retest
While working through “Do not stack Lvcha VPN with PAC files or browser proxy extensions”, write the download-page version, mode, protocol, and node name on the first line of a note. After each toggle, run one check only: 1.1.1.1/help or the exact page that failed. Changing Kill Switch, split rules, and nodes together makes the next failure un-debuggable. Get Lvcha VPN packages only from the download page; permissions and device limits live in the FAQ and guides.
On office or hotel networks, finish captive portals and clear leftover PAC entries before you decide this article’s failure mode applies. A cellular A/B exposes router DNS and parental filters quickly. Avoid hammering login on a second device during the test so session kickouts are not mistaken for radio drops.
Pin the combination that works—SSID, node, protocol—and reuse it on that network instead of starting from Auto every time. Keeping slug lvcha-vs-system-proxy as your note title makes the write-up searchable later.
When to stop and change layers
After five identical failures, stop. Recheck the documented build, confirm a single tunnel client, ensure Kill Switch was not blocking a portal, and verify the browser is not Direct in a split list. Stopping is how you escape the wrong layer.
When you ask for help, include time, SSID, mode, protocol, node names, and steps already tried. After recovery, verify egress in a clean browser so cache does not fake success, then write the split list or favorites back into your notes before the next reinstall.
Extra pass for “Do not stack Lvcha VPN with PAC files or browser proxy extensions”: retest three minutes on a second network and confirm the download page build. If only one app fails, inspect split membership; if everything fails, inspect permissions and DNS first. One change at a time remains the fastest habit when debugging Lvcha VPN.
Extra pass for “Do not stack Lvcha VPN with PAC files or browser proxy extensions”: retest three minutes on a second network and confirm the download page build. If only one app fails, inspect split membership; if everything fails, inspect permissions and DNS first. One change at a time remains the fastest habit when debugging Lvcha VPN.
Extra pass for “Do not stack Lvcha VPN with PAC files or browser proxy extensions”: retest three minutes on a second network and confirm the download page build. If only one app fails, inspect split membership; if everything fails, inspect permissions and DNS first. One change at a time remains the fastest habit when debugging Lvcha VPN.