How do I connect to the VPN using the Shadowsocks app?

Firstly, it’s worth noting that Shadowsocks isn’t exactly a VPN, but a proxy, that’s often used to bypass censorship.

Before using Shadowsocks client, you need to set up Shadowsocks server on your DigitalOcean Droplet. The process usually involves the following steps:

1. Create a Droplet on DigitalOcean: Looks like you have already completed this step.

2. Connect to the Droplet and Install Shadowsocks: This step usually involves SSH-ing into the Droplet using a tool like Putty (on Windows) or the terminal (on macOS or Linux) and running the command to install Shadowsocks. You’ll use the IP address, username, and password provided by DigitalOcean to connect to the Droplet.

Here is the command to install Shadowsocks on a Ubuntu-based Droplet:

sudo apt-get update
sudo apt-get install -y python-pip
pip install shadowsocks

3. Configure Shadowsocks: After installing Shadowsocks, you need to create a configuration file for it.

Create a new file:

sudo nano /etc/shadowsocks.json

Then enter a configuration like this:

{
    "server":"your_server_ip",
    "server_port":8000,
    "local_address": "127.0.0.1",
    "local_port":1080,
    "password":"your_password",
    "timeout":300,
    "method":"aes-256-cfb"
}

Make sure to replace “your_server_ip” with your Droplet’s IP address and “your_password” with a strong password of your choosing.

4. Start the Shadowsocks server: Use the following command to start the Shadowsocks server:

sudo ssserver -c /etc/shadowsocks.json -d start

5. Set Shadowsocks to start at boot: This step is optional but recommended. It makes sure that the Shadowsocks server starts automatically if the Droplet is rebooted.

echo "ssserver -c /etc/shadowsocks.json -d start" >> /etc/rc.local

Now you should have the Shadowsocks server running on your DigitalOcean Droplet.

After setting up the server, you can now configure the Shadowsocks client. Here’s how:

1. Download and install the Shadowsocks client: It looks like you’ve already completed this step.

2. Configure the Shadowsocks client: Open the Shadowsocks client. In the server settings, enter the following information:

• Server IP: Your Droplet’s IP
• Server Port: The server port you used in the Shadowsocks configuration (8000 in the example above)
• Password: The password you used in the Shadowsocks configuration
• Encryption Method: The encryption method you used in the Shadowsocks configuration (aes-256-cfb in the example above)

Now you should be able to connect to your Shadowsocks server using the client and browse the internet freely. If you still experience issues, please make sure your firewall isn’t blocking the connection, and verify that you’ve entered the correct settings in both the server and client.