Test For Vpn Leaks
How to Check If Your VPN Is Leaking Your IP Address on Your …
VPNs (Virtual Private Networks) are great for security, but one of the big reasons many people use one is to mask or change their IP address. Thus, one of the essential motivations to utilize a VPN is to conceal your actual IP address. In addition, while using a VPN, all of your web movements are encoded and sent to a VPN server. These servers, which handle all the data on the server side and is run by your VPN provider, are encrypted.
This implies that outside eyewitnesses can only see the IP address of the VPN server and not your actual IP. VPN providers take strong measures to protect user IPs, including using shared IPs and not maintaining logs. However, there is still a chance that your IP address can be discovered while using a VPN. Read on to learn how to find out if your VPN is leaking your IP and what you can do about it.
An IP leak is the leaking of a user’s real IP address while connected to a VPN service. It can occur in a situation where a user’s computer is unknowingly accessing default servers rather than the anonymous VPN servers assigned by the network such as VPN. Here is simple example to understand IP leak while you are using a VPN:
Say you want to access some content that is not accessible (i. e. geo-restricted) from your home country. When you log into your VPN account, usually you can choose between servers in different countries. The VPN will “pretend” you’re actually located in the selected region. Usually that’s enough to convince you that you are now virtually in a supported country – all good so far!
But, if you go to access that content and are still facing the geo-restrictions, this means that service you are trying to access from a restricted country is actually tracking your original IP rather than the IP from the VPN server. This means your VPN is leaking your original IP.
Most IP leak types can affect any network protocol at one time or another on your smartphones, but the best VPN providers have built workarounds into their software to minimize the likelihood of an IP leakage. IP leaks aren’t normally the fault of your VPN service provider. They are often caused by vulnerabilities in existing technology like browser plugins (flash), web browsing software and operating systems on our smartphones.
Similarly, some DNS leaks can expose your original IP address to the DNS server. If your VPN has the “DNS Leak, ” it means your DNS requests are being sent to an unsafe DNS server (usually one controlled by your internet provider). Some VPNs have built-in DNS leak protection, use their custom DNS servers, and use special technology to assure that your DNS requests are always routed securely, inside the encrypted VPN tunnel.
Some ISPs use a technology called “transparent DNS proxy”. Using this technology, they can intercept all DNS requests moving through their servers. If you specify the different DNS server on your home PC or router, it’s possible these requests could still be intercepted. If you have changed your DNS settings to use an ‘open’ DNS service such as Google or OpenDNS, expecting that your DNS traffic is no longer being sent to your internet provider’s DNS server, you may be shocked to find out that they are using transparent DNS proxying.
Your ‘real’ IP address is the one which is assigned to you by your internet service provider and can be used to identify your unique internet subscription specifically. All devices on your home network will share the same IP address.
Here are few useful steps through which you can check whether your VPN is working fine and not leaking your IP address:
Step 1: Check your IP – Make sure that your VPN is NOT connected. If you are sure that your VPN is disconnected, then go to Google and type “what is my IP address” to check your real IP.
Step 2: Sign in to VPN – Log into your VPN account and connect to the server of your choice. Verify twice that you are connected.
Step 3: Check your IP again – Go to Google and type “what is my iIP address” again to check your new IP. You should see a new address, one that corresponds with your VPN and the country you selected.
Step 4: Do IP Leak test – Several free websites allow you to check if your VPN is leaking IP. There is a good tool for IP Leak tests in regards to user’s online privacy. It’s unique because it’s a modern web app and includes a free API to use on your smartphones. Most IP or DNS leak tests used today are generally not mobile friendly, but more importantly outdated. For example, this tool’s API checks if DNS over TLS is enabled, which is missing from the older DNS leak test sites. This may be a relatively new protocol, but will become an increasingly important feature since it keeps your DNS requests encrypted. Its API also checks to see if DNSSEC is enabled or “Checking Disabled” is on or off. DNSSEC provides origin authority, data integrity, and authenticated denial of existence. So overall these results give you a more complete picture of your privacy and security settings.
There is another common leak named ‘Dropped Connection’ which occurs if your VPN disconnects suddenly, in which case all your web traffic will be routed through your regular Internet connection (less secure). This is the common IP leak and also the easiest to prevent.
Choosing a VPN service with a kill-switch feature is the right choice even for your smartphones. A kill-switch is a critical piece of your VPN client software that continuously monitors your network connection and makes sure that your true IP address is never exposed online in the event of a dropped VPN connection. If it detects a change, it will instantly stop all internet connectivity and try to reconnect to the VPN automatically. I recommend looking for this feature when you are comparing VPNs.
VPNs can be a great tool for protecting your privacy online, but sometimes they can be undermined. I hope this post has opened your eyes to risks of IP leaks and the importance of regularly checking for them to ensure your information is staying safe.
Looking for more on VPNs? Check out my recent post Top 10 VPNs That Take Your Privacy and Security Seriously.
Note: This blog article was written by a guest contributor for the purpose of offering a wider variety of content for our readers. The opinions expressed in this guest author article are solely those of the contributor and do not necessarily reflect those of GlobalSign
How to Test Your VPN’s Security (Updated 2021) – vpnMentor
The primary aim of using any VPN service is data security. But how can you be sure that your VPN is actually protecting you? There are several steps involved while setting up a VPN which leaves the possibility of errors that can leak your data and expose your IP address even if you are connected to a VPN.
In this article, we will guide you through different tools that can be used to verify VPN connections for various types of leaks. All the different testing tools mentioned will let you know if your VPN is actually protecting you or not.
DNS Leak Test
DNS is nothing but the Domain Name System. It is used to provide easier access to websites by translating domain names to corresponding IP addresses. For example, has been assigned an IP address 104. 25. 7. 109. You can check your IP address using this tool.
In general cases, the job of translating domain names to corresponding IP addresses is done by your Internet Service Provider (ISP). However, when you use a VPN, your real IP address gets masked, preventing others from tracking your location.
Sometimes, translation requests leak out of the VPN tunnel. Due to this, the IP address and location of your ISP is exposed to the outside world. To run a DNS Leak Test, simply connect to a VPN whose server is located outside of your country. Then you can use certain tools like If the IP address, location, and other details match to that of your ISP, your DNS is being leaked.
Note that DNS leaks do not expose your IP address. It leaks the IP address and location of your Internet Service Provider which can be used to easily track your IP address.
To prevent DNS Leaks, use a VPN that has their own encrypted DNS system.
IP Address Leak Test
Most of the VPNs claim to protect your IP address, however, the reality is quite different. According to a study of Android VPN apps, it was seen that 84% of the VPNs leak the user’s real IP address.
To test your VPN service for IP address leaks just use our IP Leak test tool.
You must note that it is necessary to test a VPN service for IP address leaks when the VPN connection is active as well as when it is in the reconnecting phase. Most of the VPNs will leak your IP address while reconnecting after a dropped connection.
In case the VPN connection drops, VPNs should have a kill switch that blocks all the internet traffic completely.
Steps to test a VPN for IP Address Leak in reconnecting phase:
Disconnect the Internet while keeping you VPN connected and running.
Once the connection has dropped, reconnect and run a rapid-fire IP test sequence. This can be done by opening multiple tabs of the IP testing webpage open and then refreshing each of it as quickly as possible.
Once the VPN reconnects, stop refreshing and check the test results.
If your real IP address is seen in a few tabs, you have a reconnection leak.
To prevent IP address leaks, you must make sure you get a secure VPN. You can manually disable IPv6 connectivity on your device if you are having IPv6 leaks. Also, note that if your VPN supports IPv6, you automatically get a protection against IPv4 too.
WebRTC leak test
WebRTC is an API definition predominantly seen in web browsers like Firefox, Chrome and Opera which allows P2P file sharing along with voice and video chats within a web browser, without the need of any external plugins or extensions. There are various plugins available to add WebRTC support externally for Internet Explorer and other browsers.
When your IP address leaks out via WebRTC APIs, a WebRTC leak occurs. You can test your VPN for WebRTC leak by visiting the website, Perfect Privacy WebRTC Test.
You can disable WebRTC in the browser you are using to prevent its leak.
VPN Speed Test
Along with privacy and security, speed is also one of the most important aspects of any VPN service. There are a lot of factors that affect the speed of VPN. Here is a list of a few of them.
Limitations of your Internet Service Provider
No matter how fast your VPN is, its speed will never be more than the speed your Internet Service Provider provides. Your ISP controls the overall speed of your Internet.
Level of encryption
As the level of encryption increases, the speed of VPN begins to lower. L2PT protocol is more secure than PPTP protocol but has significantly lesser speed. If most of the tasks you do on the internet don’t need a high level of encryption, prefer using a lower level of encryption.
Physical distance between the user and the VPN server
This is the most common aspect that affects VPN speed. If you are in India and using a VPN server that is located in the United States, you will have to deal with slower internet speeds. Choosing a VPN service whose server is located in your close proximity will solve this problem.
Number of active users on the VPN server
Many popular VPN service providers have their servers overloaded with users which result in slow speeds. Before buying a VPN, make sure that they provide a server status page with real-time bandwidth information.
Firewall settings
Your Firewall settings must not interfere with the VPN traffic or CPU performance as it may affect the speed to a great extent.
Processing power of your device
Whenever a VPN is active on your computer or mobile device, your device is constantly working in the background to encrypt and decrypt the envelopes of information. This uses a considerable amount of processing power. The faster the internet speed is, the more processing power is needed.
So, even if your VPN is fast and you have a high standard internet connection, your CPU might be capping your full speed capability.
To test your VPN for speed, visit the website
What to do if you have a leak?
If you have VPN leaks, you can contact the VPN’s support team and try to fix the issue. Apart from this, you can switch to a high-quality VPN service that won’t leak your data. VPN services generally target inexperienced users and lure them with their marketing techniques.
Here is a list of VPNs that we recommend.
With these tools, you can test your VPN to make sure it is securing your data and not leaking your information.
You might also like:
How to Make a VPN Undetectable and Bypass VPN Blocks
The 5 Best (VERIFIED) No-Log VPNs – Safest & Cheapest
What is a VPN Kill Switch and why you have to use one
Privacy Alert!
Your data is exposed to the websites you visit!
The information above can be used to track you, target you for ads, and monitor what you do online.
VPNs can help you hide this information from websites so that you are protected at all times. We recommend ExpressVPN — the #1 VPN out of over 350 providers we’ve tested. It has military-grade encryption and privacy features that will ensure your digital security, plus — it’s currently offering 49% off.
Visit ExpressVPN
IP Leak Test — Quick Tips to Check Whether Your IP Is Leaking – Sectigo
Is your VPN leaking? Here’s how to identify IP leaks and ways to prevent them
Hey, your IP’s showing.
Made you look. But if you’re using a VPN, you may want to run an IP leak test anyhow just to make sure it’s not.
All computers, devices, and servers connected to the internet have a digital identity in the alphanumeric form, which is known as an Internet Protocol (IP) address.
IP address is assigned by your internet service provider (ISP) — from where you are getting the internet — such as Wi-Fi, office internet, home internet, cell phone internet data, etc
Just by knowing an IP address, you can find out a device’s geographical location, internet provider’s name, local time, and even the users’ web browsing behaviors in some cases. The IP address of any device or server can be easily checked by anyone on the internet.
To hide their IP addresses, people use virtual private networks (VPNs). But sometimes VPNs aren’t successful in hiding the original IP addresses and end up revealing them to the outer world. This is known as an IP leak and this is where an IP leak check comes in handy.
In this article, we’ll cover how to conduct an IP leak test
to discover such leaks. We’ll also talk about the various IP leak types and
ways to prevent them.
How to Conduct an IP Leak Test
People perform an IP leak test is to check whether your device’s original IP address (i. e. IP provided by ISP) is leaking even after installing a VPN — and if it is leaking, what other details it’s revealing about your device to others. Follow the steps below to perform an IP leak check:
Step 1: Use an IP Leak Test Tool
Turn off your VPN and go to any of the following websites to
conduct your IP leak test:
Be sure to jot down this IP address as it’s your original ISP IP address.
Step 2: Choose a VPN IP Address Location
Next, turn on the VPN and select the IP address for your desired geographical location.
Step 3: Re-Check Your IP Address
Now, go back to the website you visited in step one where
you conducted the first IP leak test and refresh the page.
If you see the new IP address for the location you selected
on the VPN software, it means the VPN is successfully hiding your IP address. If
you still see your original IP address and location, your device is suffering
from an IP leak — hence, the VPN isn’t working properly.
Please note that all of these websites show different
details in their IP leak test results. However, the common elements of these
reports are your:
public IP address, internet service provider, geographical location, and local time-zone.
Check out the before and after screenshots from my own IP
leak test (below). The former was taken when my VPN was turned off. The latter was
taken after turning on the VPN and selecting an IP address of a VPN server
located in India.
4 Common Types of IP Leaks
Your IP address can be leaking in various ways. So, for example,
it might not be leaking while visiting some websites, but it may leak while
downloading a file from Torrent or engaging in another activity. So, it’s
crucial to identify which type of leak your device is experiencing. Here are four
of the most common types of IP leaks:
1. DNS IP Leak
IP addresses are made of a long string of numbers and
alphabets, which are difficult for humans to memorize. For humans, web surfing while
using a domain name (like,,, etc. ) is more
convenient. This is where a domain name system (DNS) comes in handy.
A DNS works like a mediator between humans and servers via
their browsers. When a user tries to connect to a website, the DNS translates that
domain name to an IP addresses, which enables a browser to request a specific
website from a server to connect to it.
But like with most technologies, the domain name system
isn’t perfect. The downside of the DNS is that it keeps a log of all user activities,
including:
which websites have been visited by which IP
addresses (i. e., the website visitors), their geographic locations, and the list of pages they visited after arriving at
the website.
All ISPs, by default, enable DNS. That means your internet service provider can know your entire browsing history.
When you use a VPN, it hides your original ISP DNS under the anonymous VPN DNS. But sometimes, when users request the DNS to open a website, it bypasses the VPN’s IP address and accesses the user’s ISP IP address directly, causing what’s called a DNS leak.
How to Conduct a DNS IP Leak Test
Turn off your to or (or any other DNS leak test tool you trust). Make sure you’re not using any VPN providers’ DNS leak testing websites, though. Write down the resulting information the page displays. This is going to be your ISP IP address, ISP’s name, and geographical location. Now, turn on the VPN and select any other geographical location of your choice. Once again, go to the DNS leak checking website and conduct the test. Now, you should see the different IP addresses, internet provider’s name, and geographical location this time. If you still see your original ISP IP address and other details, your VPN is suffering from a DNS leak.
How to Prevent a DNS Leak
While purchasing a VPN, you should always check whether it has a DNS leak prevention feature. But if your current VPN doesn’t have this feature, you can manually change the DNS configuration. You can use this Google’s DNS guide to switch your ISP’s DNS to Google’s public DNS.
2. Torrent IP Leak
While using Torrent, your file-sharing client can monitor all your activities using your ISP IP address. But with VPN, you can disguise your true the identity from the Torrent client. Plus, all the activities and files will get encrypted, too. However, sometimes, your Torrent client bypasses the VPN IP address and can see the ISP IP address, which is known as Torrent IP leak.
How to Conduct a Torrent IP Leak Test
To check for an IP leak via Torrent:
Open a Torrent privacy checker tool. (We have linked, but you can choose any tool you want to use. )Download the test file from the link provided on the website, which is also known as the magnet the test file to the Torrent client. Check which IP address the Torrent privacy checker tool is displaying. If it’s showing the IP address and geographical location you set on your VPN, it means your anonymity is maintained by the VPN while Torrenting. If it shows your ISP IP address, your system is suffering from the Torrent IP leak.
How to Prevent a Torrent IP Leak
Go to your VPN setting. Disable both the DHT and PEX feature and the split tunneling feature. Always enable the kill switch feature of the VPN. If your VPN doesn’t have it, use a third-party VPN connection monitoring tool such as VPN Watcher that offers the kill switch feature and prevents an IP leak when the VPN is down.
3. WebRTC IP Leak
All the major web browsers (such as Google Chrome, Mozilla
Firefox, Safari, Opera, and Yandex) have a feature called web real-time
communication, or WebRTC. This tool enables video calls, file sharing, live
chats, voice calls, etc. But websites can trick the browsers’ WebRTC feature
into bypassing the website visitors’ VPN IP address and revealing their real IP
address through the use of JavaScript.
Even though there are tools available to conduct a WebRTC
leak test, just do so with caution. You can’t rely on them 100% because you
don’t know which websites are using special JavaScript to find out your real IP
via WebRTC.
How to Prevent a WebRTC IP Leak
You can install an add-on or extension that disables the WebRTC
vulnerability. Let’s explore how this works in Google Chrome and Mozilla
Firefox:
Install a WebRTC Leak Prevention Tool in Chrome
Go to the Chrome Web for WebRTC. Choose the extension such as WebRTC Leak Prevent or WebRTC Prevent Shield. And click on Add to Chrome and activate it.
Install a WebRTC IP Leak Prevention Tool in Firefox
Type about:addons in the
Firefox address WebRTC in the search
bar. A new window will pop-up. Select one of the
suitable add-ons and add it to Firefox. Enable the add-on after it has successfully
installed.
4. Email IP Leak
When you send an email to someone, some email clients send
your IP address to your email recipients as a part of the header information.
When this occurs, it means you’ve got an email IP leak. All email clients have
different policies about showing IP addresses. Here, we have demonstrated how
you can manually check Gmail’s header information:
Go to Gmail and open an existing email for investigation, on the right-hand side, click on the menu
(three dots) and go to Show original.
Press Ctrl+F on your keyboard and search for “Received:
from. ” You might see the sender’s IP address in the place which we
have highlighted with red color in the screenshot below.
You can also conduct the email IP leak test with the email
IP leak software by following these steps.
Write down your original IP address and turn on the to the Email IP Leak Test on an email to the given email address. Wait for the result. The website will automatically update the result after some time. The results may be delayed, but don’t refresh the page.
As a result, either you will be shown the message “Your
email has been received, and it doesn’t leak your IP, ” Or it will show
which IP address it is leaking. If that IP address is the same as your VPN
server’s IP address, you’re still in the safe zone.
However, if it shows your original ISP IP address, your VPN
is not working properly.
How to Prevent an Email IP Leak
Unfortunately, you can’t stop email clients from revealing your IP address. However, if they are showing the ISP IP address in the header information, even after you are using VPN, it is a problem. You should discuss this issue with your VPN provider’s support team. They might suggest some security setting tricks to prevent such a leak. If your VPN provider can’t prevent the email client from revealing your original IP address, you should change VPN providers.
Why Is an IP Leak Test Necessary?
If you are wondering why an IP leak test matters, this section will answer that question. You need to understand why people want to hide their IP addresses in the first place.
When the VPN is installed and turned on, your device will be assigned a temporary VPN server IP address to conceal your original IP address (the one issued by your ISP). This VPN server might be located in different cities and countries. You can also manually choose the geographical location to get the IP address from that region. The original IP address would be working in the background because your internet still comes from your regular ISP provider, but then the new VPN IP adds another layer of IP security onto it, like a mask, to hide the original one.
Privacy
Some online marketers track IP addresses to know users’ browsing behaviors. This data helps them target appropriate advertisements based on each user’s individual preferences. Some people consider this advertising technique manipulative or invasive and prefer to hide their original IP addresses by using a VPN.
Geographical Restrictions
Some websites and apps allow access to their content to viewers from specific countries while banning viewership from other regions. VPN software gives you the option to choose an IP address from a variety of different countries, which helps you to bypass such geographical restrictions. (Note: This might be illegal in some cases. ) With an international IP address, you can have access to international entertainment such as sports games, television series, music, etc. — all without ever changing your physical location.
Blacklisted IPs
Websites blacklist a user’s IP address and ban them from
accessing the website if they suspect that the user has violated rules or is
trying to conduct cyber attacks such as DDoS attacks, SQL injections, brute
force attacks, with VPN, users get new IP addresses and they
can evade such bans. (However, it’s definitely a red flag from a cybersecurity
point of view. )
So, when your VPN leaks your original IP address, it means you can’t hide your online browsing behavior, access geographically-restricted websites, and apps, or visit sites where your IP address is blacklisted. An IP leak test is conducted to show the users whether their VPN is leaking their original IP address.
A Final Word
VPN is a double-edged sword. While concealing the real IP
address will give internet users a sense of privacy and access to international
entertainment, it can also be misused by cybercriminals. When the original IP
is hidden, it becomes challenging to trace the origins of the cyberattacks. Sometimes
when websites or apps put the geographical restrictions on some content, they
do so for specific reasons, such as being compliant with legal restrictions or
security measures. So, if you manipulate your IP address and get caught, the
consequences can be dire.
While you should definitely do what you can to prevent an IP
leak, make sure you’re not breaking any laws while browsing the internet.
Frequently Asked Questions about test for vpn leaks
How do I test my VPN security?
Steps to test a VPN for IP Address Leak in reconnecting phase:Disconnect the Internet while keeping you VPN connected and running.Once the connection has dropped, reconnect and run a rapid-fire IP test sequence. … Once the VPN reconnects, stop refreshing and check the test results.More items…•Oct 8, 2021
How do you check if your IP has been leaked?
Go to dnsleaktest.com or dnsleak.com (or any other DNS leak test tool you trust). Make sure you’re not using any VPN providers’ DNS leak testing websites, though. Write down the resulting information the page displays. This is going to be your ISP IP address, ISP’s name, and geographical location.Feb 27, 2020
Can VPN traffic be detected?
Yes. Your ISP can detect whether or not you’re using a VPN, and the fact that you’re passing encrypted traffic is a strong indicator. … An ISP could block your VPN, but it would take a lot of time to do so since it involves manually blocking IPs and ports associated with the VPN.Jul 15, 2020
