Trojan is a modern, TLS-based proxy protocol designed to bypass censorship and provide secure, high-performance connectivity. For Windows 11 administrators, developers, and businesses looking to use Trojan as a client to connect to a remote Trojan server, this guide provides a clear, step-by-step technical walkthrough. It covers client choices, configuration details, system‑wide routing options, verification, automation, and common troubleshooting. Follow the steps precisely to achieve a reliable, secure deployment.

Overview: How Trojan Works and What You Need

Trojan works by encapsulating proxy traffic inside TLS connections that look like ordinary HTTPS, reducing the risk of detection. A typical Trojan client on Windows initiates a TLS connection to the Trojan server, performs password-based authentication, and exchanges proxied traffic using an application-layer protocol. Key concepts to understand:

  • TLS and certificate pinning: Trojan relies on TLS for confidentiality. Clients often use the server’s certificate or SHA256 fingerprint to pin the connection.
  • SNI (Server Name Indication): The SNI field can be used to blend Trojan traffic with legitimate HTTPS sites.
  • Local proxy modes: Trojan clients usually expose a local SOCKS5 or HTTP proxy endpoint. For system‑wide routing, you must either use a TUN driver (tun2socks) or an application-level redirector (Proxifier, ProxyCap).

Prerequisites:

  • Windows 11 PC with administrative privileges.
  • Trojan server access details: server IP/hostname, port, password (or secret), certificate fingerprint (optional but recommended), and SNI value.
  • Trojan client binary for Windows (Trojan-Qt5 or Trojan-Go), and optionally a TUN implementation like Wintun and tun2socks.

Step 1 — Choose and Download a Trojan Client

You have two popular choices for Windows:

  • Trojan-Qt5 (GUI): Provides a user-friendly GUI, built-in configuration editing, and local SOCKS/HTTP proxy endpoints. Good for desktop use and developer environments.
  • Trojan-Go (CLI): A high-performance Go implementation suitable for headless setups, automation, and advanced routing when paired with tun2socks.

Download the latest release from a trusted source (GitHub releases pages of the official projects). Verify binaries using checksums or PGP signatures if available. Place the executable(s) in a folder like C:Program FilesTrojan or C:ToolsTrojan.

Step 2 — Create a Secure Configuration

Trojan uses JSON configuration files. Below are example snippets for both Trojan-Qt5 and Trojan-Go. Replace placeholders with actual server values.

Trojan-Qt5 (config.json)

Typical options to include:

  • local_addr and local_port — endpoint your apps will connect to (e.g., 127.0.0.1:1080 for SOCKS5).
  • remote_addr and remote_port — Trojan server address and port.
  • password — the Trojan password shared with the server.
  • ssl settings — SNI and certificate fingerprint (fingerprint is recommended for pinning).

Example:

{“run_type”:”client”,”local_addr”:”127.0.0.1″,”local_port”:1080,”remote_addr”:”your.server.com”,”remote_port”:443,”password”:[“your_password_here”],”ssl”:{“verify”:true,”verify_hostname”:true,”sni”:”www.example.com”,”cert”:”SHA256:FINGERPRINTHEX”}}

Trojan-Go (config.json)

Trojan-Go may provide additional features like multiplexing and HTTP/2 support. Example minimal config:

{“run_type”:”client”,”local_addr”:”127.0.0.1″,”local_port”:1080,”remote_addr”:”your.server.com”,”remote_port”:443,”password”:[“your_password_here”],”ssl”:{“sni”:”www.example.com”,”verify”:true,”fingerprint”:”FINGERPRINTHEX”},”mux”:{ “enabled”:true}}

Important: Use the server certificate fingerprint (SHA256) when possible to avoid man-in-the-middle risks. If the server uses a valid publicly-trusted certificate and you control SNI values strictly, fingerprint pinning is still recommended for resilience.

Step 3 — Configure Local Proxy vs System‑Wide VPN

By default, Trojan clients expose a local SOCKS5 or HTTP proxy. For most developer and admin tasks, point specific apps (browsers, curl, Git) to 127.0.0.1:1080. For system‑wide routing, you have two options:

  • App-level redirection: Use tools like Proxifier, ProxyCap, or Windows proxy settings to redirect traffic from selected applications through the local SOCKS/HTTP proxy. This is simpler, requires no kernel drivers, and is suitable for most business use cases.
  • TUN-based full VPN (tun2socks + Wintun): For true system-level routing, install a virtual network driver like Wintun and run a tun2socks client. Configure routing rules so that the default gateway uses the TUN interface and all outbound traffic is forwarded through the SOCKS5 endpoint provided by Trojan. This requires careful firewall and route configuration to avoid leaks.

Example: Using Proxifier

  • Install Proxifier (or a similar application).
  • Add a new proxy server entry: 127.0.0.1:1080, type SOCKS5.
  • Create rules to route selected applications or destinations through the proxy. For system‑wide, set a catch-all rule.

Example: Using Wintun + tun2socks

  • Install Wintun driver (from its official distribution).
  • Run tun2socks with the virtual interface and point it to the local Trojan SOCKS5 endpoint: tun2socks –interface Wintun0 –socks-server 127.0.0.1:1080.
  • Add a default route using the new TUN interface, and ensure DNS queries go through the tunnel (configure DNS or use DNS over HTTPS/tls).
  • Harden firewall rules to prevent traffic leaks when the tunnel is down (see Kill Switch section).

Step 4 — Start the Client and Monitor Logs

Run the client as an administrator when using TUN or modifying routes. For Trojan-Qt5, launch the GUI and load the configuration file. For Trojan-Go, start it from a command prompt:

  • trojan-go.exe -config config.json

Check the console or GUI logs for a successful TLS handshake and authentication. Expected log entries:

  • “TLS handshake success” or “connected to remote host”
  • “authenticated user” or “password verification passed”

If you see repeated connection resets or certificate verification errors, verify SNI and fingerprint values and check whether the server IP is reachable (use ping/traceroute).

Step 5 — Verify Connectivity and Leak Protection

Verification steps:

  • Point a web browser at the local SOCKS proxy (using browser proxy settings) and visit https://ipinfo.io or https://ifconfig.me to confirm your public IP matches the server’s exit IP.
  • Use openssl to confirm TLS connectivity and certificate fingerprint: openssl s_client -connect your.server.com:443 -servername www.example.com and inspect the certificate fingerprint.
  • If using TUN, run ipconfig /all and route print to confirm the default route is set to the TUN interface. Test DNS leaks with services like dnsleaktest.com while using the tunneled connection.

Kill Switch: For business environments, implement a kill switch: firewall rules that block outbound traffic except through the TUN adapter or the local loopback to the client. Use Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security to create outbound rules that restrict traffic when the tunnel is not present.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

Below are frequent problems and remedies:

  • Certificate/Handshake Failures: Re-check the SHA256 fingerprint, SNI, and whether the server TLS certificate changed. Use openssl s_client to debug.
  • Authentication Failed: Ensure the password(s) in config.json exactly match the server. Trojan supports multiple passwords—confirm which one is active.
  • No system‑wide traffic: If you configured tun2socks but see only local traffic, verify Wintun is installed, tun2socks is running with correct args, and routing table includes the TUN gateway.
  • DNS Leaks: Configure DNS to use secure resolvers (DoH/DoT) over the tunnel or point the adapter’s DNS to a resolver reachable over the tunnel.
  • Performance Problems: Enable multiplexing (mux) in Trojan-Go/Trojan-Qt5, and ensure you use a server with sufficient bandwidth. Monitor CPU usage—TLS and multiplexing can be CPU-intensive.

Automation and Production Considerations

For enterprise deployments, consider the following:

  • Run as a service: Use NSSM (Non-Sucking Service Manager) or Windows service wrappers to run the Trojan client as a system service, ensuring it starts before user logon and restarts automatically.
  • Logging and Monitoring: Redirect logs to a file or centralized logging service (Syslog/Windows Event Forwarding) and set alerts for connection failures or degraded throughput.
  • Key Rotation: Periodically rotate passwords and update pinned fingerprints. Automate configuration rollout with scripts or configuration management tools (SCCM, Ansible with WinRM, Chocolatey for package distribution).
  • Compliance: Maintain an audit of server certificates and fingerprint changes. For regulated environments, document the cryptographic parameters (TLS versions and ciphers) and ensure they meet policy.

Security Best Practices

  • Use certificate pinning: Rely on SHA256 fingerprints where possible to prevent active MITM attempts.
  • Restrict access: Limit server access by IP or firewall rules, and do not expose management ports publicly.
  • Keep software updated: Regularly update Trojan clients, tun2socks, and Wintun to patched versions.
  • Testing before rollout: Test the full client configuration in a staging environment to verify routing, DNS, and failover behavior.

Following these steps will give you a robust Trojan client deployment on Windows 11 that meets both developer convenience and enterprise security requirements. If you need a concise troubleshooting checklist or automation script examples for service installation and route setup, I can provide them on request.

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