IEPL, Relay and Direct
These labels describe how a route is organized, not how well it performs. Understand the path your traffic takes, then decide whether it suits your network.
Dedicated Network Path
IEPL Dedicated Lines
IEPL generally refers to an international private Ethernet-based connection. In acceleration services, some cross-border traffic may travel over a dedicated path before reaching the destination website through an exit server. The benefit is greater control over key parts of the route—not identical response times from every website.
If you often have long evening sessions, upload files or use interactive tools, compare how consistently this route handles those tasks. Local Wi-Fi, your access provider and the destination service still matter; a dedicated-line label is no substitute for end-to-end testing.
Cost considerations: Dedicated capacity typically involves leased links and capacity planning, so resource costs are generally higher than for ordinary public internet routes. Check the plan page for pricing; a route name alone does not imply an extra fee.
Entry Point to Exit
Relay Routes
A relay route first sends your connection to an entry server, which then forwards it to a remote exit server. Entry and exit points can be optimized separately, so a route that looks indirect on a map may work better than connecting directly to a remote location from your network. Suitability depends on your access network and the forwarding path.
Relay routes are worth considering for everyday browsing, international websites and situations that require an exit in a particular region. If the connection establishes but content loads inconsistently, compare different entry points to the same exit region. Change one variable at a time so you can identify the cause.
Cost considerations: Relays use resources for the entry point, forwarding and exit, with costs depending on the network and capacity. A relay is not necessarily cheaper or faster than a direct route.
Direct Connection to a Remote Server
Direct Routes
A direct route generally means the client connects to a remote server without an additional relay entry point configured by the service. Traffic still passes through carrier routers on the public internet, so the physical path is not necessarily straight and may still encounter congestion.
When public internet connectivity from your local network to the destination region is good, a direct route can be a straightforward choice. Try it for everyday browsing and as a comparison when troubleshooting a relay route. If performance varies by time of day, compare again during your usual usage hours.
Cost considerations: The route may be simpler to organize, but costs can still vary by exit data center, international peering and capacity. The “direct” label alone does not indicate route quality or plan value.