Guide to Purchasing Foreign VPS and Servers
Foreign VPS servers offer high cost-performance, bypass restrictions, high performance, and greater flexibility compared to domestic servers. Some providers even cater specifically to Chinese consumers by supporting Alipay payments and one-click SS installation. However, beginners often encounter issues when purchasing. This article summarizes key points to help you.
1. Account Registration
You can find merchant websites via Google search or review articles. When registering an account, keep the following in mind:
- Avoid using a proxy for the first registration.
- Provide real information; Pinyin can be used for English names.
- If payment fails, the account may require verification; please wait patiently.
- If you encounter issues, submit a ticket to customer support (use Google Translate if you don't speak English).
About Affiliates: Affiliates are merchant referral links. When you register and make a purchase through these links, the referrer earns a commission. While many review blogs use these links, they generally do not disadvantage you. If you prefer, you can access the official website directly via search engines.
2. Payment Methods
PayPal PayPal is a widely used payment tool abroad, supported by most foreign merchants. If you don't have an account, register at the PayPal official website.
- Provide real information and bind a bank card for verification (Crucial).
- Never access PayPal using a proxy, or your account may be frozen.
- PayPal automatically converts currencies (e.g., USD to RMB), allowing you to pay with a bound UnionPay card.
Alipay Many merchants support Alipay to facilitate payments for Chinese users. If supported, you can choose this option.
VISA/MasterCard Credit Cards Some merchants do not support PayPal or Alipay (e.g., early versions of Linode). If you have a VISA or MasterCard credit card, it is highly recommended. You can apply for one at major banks, ensuring it carries the VISA or MasterCard logo.
Virtual credit cards are available online, but they are not guaranteed to remain valid long-term and have a higher risk of being blocked, making them less recommended.
Network Quality
As the saying goes, "proximity brings advantage." While closer data centers often have geographical benefits, this does not solely determine network quality. Network quality directly impacts user experience.
Network Latency
Use the local ping command to test latency and packet loss. The command format is ping IP -n 100, sending 100 packets to check for loss. Foreign VPS servers often experience some packet loss; a rate within 10% is generally acceptable (fluctuations may occur during peak hours).
Reference latency ranges:
- Domestic China: < 60ms
- Asia: < 100ms
- US West Coast: ≈ 200ms
- Europe: ≈ 300ms
If your latency falls outside these ranges, the line quality may be poor or the route may be indirect.
Use the Super Ping tool at ping.chinaz.com to test latency across the entire country.
Is the Route Indirect?
Routing trace (tracert) can determine if the path is indirect. It is recommended to use besttrace.exe to visualize the route. If you detect routing detours, proceed with caution.
Is it a CN2 Network? CN2 networks generally offer better performance than standard networks, though they are not the sole deciding factor. Refer to this guide to check if a VPS uses a CN2 line: Check CN2 Network.
3. Other Parameters
Virtualization Technology Popular virtualization technologies include OpenVZ, KVM, and XEN. You don't need to understand the detailed architecture, but a general overview helps.
- OpenVZ: A semi-virtualized architecture with significant limitations and resource overselling. Not recommended.
- KVM/XEN: Full virtualization. While the price may be higher for the same configuration, they offer better functionality and performance. KVM and XEN servers are recommended.
Merchants usually specify the virtualization technology used. If unsure, consult customer support or check the CentOS Cloud Host/VPS Architecture Guide.
Disk I/O Disk I/O determines read/write speeds. Most foreign merchants now use SSDs, which offer significantly better I/O than traditional mechanical hard drives. You can test this using the bench.sh script by QiuShuiYiBing.
Summary
When purchasing a VPS, consider price, network quality, and performance. Use the methods above for comprehensive evaluation. Remember, you get what you pay for; do not seek cheap deals to avoid being tricked.
Below are VPS providers currently used by Xiaoz Blog for your reference (links contain affiliate codes):
| Merchant | Line | Notes | Purchase Link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vultr | - | Recommended: Los Angeles Data Center | www.vultr.com |
| HostUS | One-way CN2 | Recommended: KVM Los Angeles (Avoid OpenVZ) | hostus.us |
| Alibaba Cloud International | Two-way CN2 | Recommended: Hong Kong / Singapore | alibabacloud.com |
| Rectified | SharkTech Direct Connection | Free DDoS protection, unlimited traffic | rectified.net |