Frequently Asked Questions
Dedicated IPv4 and Reputation
What makes PhotonMark VPN different?
A dedicated, reputation-checked public IPv4 for both VPN ingress and egress. Once assigned to a paid instance, it belongs to that customer for the purchased term. No shared exit pools.
What is a dedicated IP?
A dedicated IP (Internet Protocol) is a unique public IP address assigned only to you. Each time you connect to your designated VPN instance, you use that same IP address with WireGuard or Hysteria2 protection.
- Fewer bot checks β A dedicated IP reduces exposure to risk from unknown users sharing one exit address.
- Stable access β A stable IP identity helps with allowlists, access control, and business systems that expect consistent source addresses.
- Consistent identity β Consistent source identity makes authentication and security monitoring easier to manage.
What does high reputation IPv4 mean?
Before assigning a fresh IPv4, PhotonMark checks practical reputation signals including proxy/VPN/Tor flags, abuse history, and common DNS blacklists. PASS and reasonable WARN results can be assigned; FAIL results are released and replaced when capacity allows. This reduces avoidable blocks, but no VPN provider can guarantee acceptance by every website, mail system, or national network.
Managing Your Instance
Can I change my IPv4 address?
Yes. Renew it in the Client Portal when a network route or remote service cannot reach one address. You can also request an IP change by sending an email from your registered account email to [email protected] with "change ip" in the subject line. This automated email service will return the updated VPN profile and PNG QR code via email.
How often can I change my IPv4?
Once every 5 minutes, and up to 30 times in any 30 days per account, whether you use the Client Portal or email.
I have more than one instance. How do I request an IP change by email?
Put the instance name in the subject, for example "change ip WG-16493-JP1" or "change ip HY2-SG1-104". The number alone ("change ip 16493") or the region ("change ip JP1") also works when it matches only one of your instances. With a single instance, "change ip" is enough. Send a new email rather than a reply. If we cannot tell which instance you mean, we reply with the list of your instances.
Can I change my VPN location or protocol?
Yes. On a paid instance, click Change location / protocol in the Client Portal and choose another region (Australia, Japan, Singapore or the USA), WireGuard or Hysteria2, or both. Each instance gets 3 changes per month of service, for example 3 for a 1-month plan and 9 for a 3-month plan; changing the region, the protocol or both at once counts as one change. Term, data allowance and data already used carry over.
The new instance gets a new dedicated IPv4 and new configuration files, which we also email to you. Your old instance keeps working for 60 minutes after the new one is ready so you can import the new profile on each device; then it is removed and its IPv4 released. Renew IPv4 does not use these changes. Free trials cannot change location or protocol.
What should I do after renewing IPv4?
After any IPv4 renewal, the previous WireGuard config files or Hysteria2 URI/YAML profiles stop working. Re-download or import the updated profile from the Client Portal before reconnecting.
How does IPv4 renewal in the Client Portal work?
Open the Client Portal, click Renew IPv4 on your active instance, and confirm. Provisioning usually takes 1-2 minutes. The page refreshes automatically while your instance is renewing.
Protocols and Setup
Which protocols are available?
Each VPN instance uses either WireGuard or Hysteria2. Choose WireGuard when you want official app support and QR codes. Choose Hysteria2 when you want an HY2 URI/YAML profile for compatible clients.
We recommend Hysteria2 (HY2) for most users. It runs over QUIC on port 443, much like ordinary HTTPS traffic, and copes well with packet loss, so it often works better on networks that block or slow down WireGuard. If WireGuard is slow or will not connect, try HY2.
Both protocols use UDP. If a network blocks UDP entirely, neither will connect; try another network, such as a mobile hotspot.
Follow the setup guide to choose your protocol and get connected.
How can I install WireGuard on macOS without the App Store?
Download wireguard-macOS.zip from the Download page, then run the following commands in Terminal:
cd ~/Downloads
unzip wireguard-macOS.zip
rm -rf wireguard-macOS.zip __MACOSX
mv -f WireGuard.app /Applications/
open /Applications/WireGuard.app &How do I set up Hysteria2 with Hiddify?
Install Hiddify for your platform, then scan the HY2 QR code from the Client Portal or import the HY2 URI/YAML profile. Full setup guide.
How do I use PhotonMark VPN?
Use the complete setup guide at /get-started. It starts with protocol choice, app installation and account registration, then covers plan purchase, profile import, connection checks, and troubleshooting.
Plans, Data, and Billing
Is speed capped?
PhotonMark does not apply an artificial speed cap. The VPN is designed for at least 1Gbps where the client network and internet route support it.
How does the data allowance work?
Each purchase has one total data allowance for the whole term. There is no monthly reset inside that term. Usage is sampled from WireGuard and Hysteria2 and enforced against the total allowance.
How is pricing calculated?
Each plan is made up of a dedicated public IPv4 address at $4/month and data at $4 per 100GB per month. Longer terms get a discount on the data part only: 10% for 3 months, 15% for 6 months, and 25% for 12 months. The dedicated IPv4 fee is never discounted. Totals are rounded to the nearest $0.50.
Do plans renew automatically?
No. Nothing is charged automatically and no card is stored. To continue with the same instance, click Extend (keep IP) on it in the Client Portal and pay for 1, 3, 6 or 12 more months at the normal plan price; your dedicated IPv4 and configuration files stay the same. We email you 7 days and 1 day before the term ends.
Can I have multiple VPN instances?
Yes. One account can hold several instances, for example dedicated IPv4 addresses in different regions. We currently offer Australia, Japan, Singapore and the USA. Each instance is managed, renewed and topped up on its own.
How can I pay?
By credit card through Stripe, or by Alipay or WeChat Pay through PayPlus. Prices are listed in USD and charged in NZD after conversion at the current official exchange rate; PayPlus adds a 2% processing surcharge. Every payment is one-off: no card is stored and nothing is charged automatically.
What will appear on my receipt or card statement?
For your privacy, payment pages and payment receipts list your purchase under our cloud service name, PhotonMark Cloud Services, with the plan and term. The word VPN does not appear, and Alipay and WeChat Pay order numbers start with PM. Card statements show PHOTONMARK. Service emails sent to your account address, such as setup details and renewal reminders, do describe your VPN service.
Is there a referral programme?
Yes. Every account, including trial users, has a referral link in the Client Portal. When someone registers through your link and makes their first payment, you get 100GB of data on your account, valid for 12 months, and we email you (we show their user number, never their email address). Add it to any of your active paid instances whenever you like; it cannot be added to an instance whose data has run out or that is paused. The person you refer does not get an extra bonus.
What happens when a plan expires or reaches its data cap?
Paid instances are paused for a 3-day grace period, during which the dedicated IPv4 and configuration are kept. Click Extend (keep IP) or Add data on the instance within those 3 days to resume it with the same IP. If you do nothing, the instance is removed and its IP released after the grace period. Trial instances are removed immediately.
What if I use up my data allowance early?
The data allowance is the total for the whole term. If you use it up before the term ends, the instance is paused for 3 days while its dedicated IPv4 and configuration are kept. Click Add data (100GB blocks at $4 each) or Extend on that instance in the Client Portal to continue with the same IP; nothing needs to be re-imported. After the 3 days the instance and its IP are released.
Are free trials available?
Each account can try each available protocol and region combination once, with no more than two trial instances at a time. Choose WireGuard or Hysteria2 in Australia, Japan, Singapore, or the USA. Each trial supports 3 devices, lasts 1 hour, and includes 1GB total data.
Each trial instance is removed automatically when its 1-hour term or 1GB data cap is reached.
If two trials are already running, end one from Your VPN Instances and wait until removal finishes and it disappears from the list before starting another. This releases its dedicated public IPv4 early.
The trial is limited to 1 hour because previous longer free trials were abused and harmed service quality and IPv4 reputation. If you need more trial time, please contact us.
Can I get a refund?
Please use the free trial to test the service first. Paid plans are non-refundable, except where the service cannot be delivered because of a problem on our side after reasonable troubleshooting.
Other
What else can you offer?
Beyond standard dedicated WireGuard and Hysteria2 IPv4 service, we can provide customized deployments such as residential IP sourcing and additional protocol stacks including Shadowsocks, VLESS+REALITY, Trojan, TUIC, and OpenVPN.
If needed, PhotonMark can purchase and provision a VM for you, then install and configure a tailored VPN solution based on your use case, region, and operational requirements.
Where do you announce policy and product updates?
We post policy updates and new product announcements on Twitter at https://twitter.com/hangfengnz.