How Dedicated, Relayed, and Direct Routes Work
The following describes general network topology. Route labels indicate how a connection is designed; they do not guarantee a particular speed, uninterrupted availability, or access to any app.
IEPL
Focus on the transport segment
Your device → access node → dedicated transport segment → exit
IEPL usually refers to an international Ethernet private line. What matters to users is not the acronym itself, but the transport path between the access node and the exit. Dedicated transport and standard internet routes differ in resource allocation and routing management. When choosing a route, consider how consistently it performs rather than assuming that “dedicated” means every part of the connection is immune to congestion.
The connection from your device to the access node still depends on your local network, and traffic from the exit to the destination may use the public internet. Wi-Fi interference, a busy local network, or a slow response from the destination can all limit the benefits of a dedicated route. For long video sessions, remote work, or frequent calls to external services, consider comparing routes marked as dedicated in the panel and test them at the times you actually use them.
Dedicated transport resources generally cost more to provision and maintain than standard internet routes. That is an important difference in how these routes are built. It does not mean VPNHO charges separately for each dedicated route or that every plan includes a dedicated route in a specific region. Check the panel for available routes and plan details.
Relayed Routes
Focus on the relay path
Your device → relay node → exit → destination service
A relayed route adds a relay node between your device and the exit. It changes the path: your device connects to a suitable entry point first, and the relay node then forwards traffic to the exit. Adding a node does not necessarily make a connection slower. If the relay provides a better route for your current network, it may feel more consistent than connecting directly to the exit. On the other hand, busy relay resources or interconnection links can become a bottleneck.
Relayed routes are worth comparing for everyday browsing, general work, and mixed app use. Test whether pages load properly, transfers continue, and sessions stay connected. If the client connects but the destination app still performs poorly, keep the exit region the same and try a different relayed route. This helps avoid confusing changes in account region with changes in network path.
Relayed route costs involve entry, relay resources, exit, and interconnection bandwidth—not just an extra server. Different resource combinations have different costs, so the “relayed” label alone does not indicate whether a route is cheap or expensive. Plan prices follow the published plan details; this page does not calculate separate fees by route type.
Direct Routes
Focus on the local outbound path
Your device → exit → destination service
A direct route generally means the client connects to the exit without a service-level relay node. It does not mean there are no intermediate devices in the physical network: traffic still passes through carrier routers and interconnection networks. The simpler route makes a useful baseline for comparison. When your local network has a suitable path to the destination exit, a direct route may work well for everyday use.
Direct routes are more directly affected by your local carrier’s international routing, interconnection congestion, and exit resources. The same exit may perform differently across networks or at different times. To troubleshoot, compare a direct route with a relayed route in the same region. If only the direct route has issues, focus on the path difference. If neither route completes the task, also check your app rules and the destination service.
A direct route avoids service-level relay resources, but still uses exit and network resources, so it is not necessarily the cheapest option. For most users, it is more useful to check that the feature they need works and then decide which route to keep than to rank routes by label alone.