A virtual private network, or VPN, is a privacy tool that can hide your internet activity — such as the websites you visit and apps you use — from snoops like your internet provider or network administrator. A VPN masks your public IP address, so you can make it look like you’re in another city, state or country, thereby letting you unblock region-restricted content like foreign Netflix libraries. But if your VPN isn’t functioning properly, you could experience issues ranging from no internet access to having your online activity leaked.
Whether you suspect there’s an issue or you just want to check up on your digital hygiene, it’s a great idea to confirm that your VPN is working correctly, because you don’t want to take risks with privacy protection. Here’s how to test your VPN to make sure it’s working properly, from checking for DNS and WebRTC leaks, to enabling split tunneling and assessing the kill switch.
How to tell if a VPN is working
The easiest way to tell if a VPN is working is to fire up your VPN software, hop on a server in a different location — another city, state or country — then look up your IP address using a website such as the aptly named WhatIsMyIPAddress. Usually, your public IP address is assigned by your internet service provider, or ISP — like Google Fiber or Spectrum. Websites you visit and internet-connected apps you use can view your public IP address, which, like your physical address, contains basic information like your general geographic location and ISP information.
However, with a VPN enabled, your public IP address will show different information for the ISP, city, region and maybe even country. For instance, if you’re in the US but tunneling through a UK VPN server, your public IP address will display as a UK one.
If you’ve got a VPN running but still see your ISP’s info and your current geographical location, there’s a chance your VPN isn’t working correctly.
Why isn’t my VPN working?
If your VPN isn’t working correctly, there are several possible reasons why your IP address isn’t masked. There could be an issue with your kill switch, you may have split tunneling toggled on or there could be an IP leak — either a DNS or WebRTC leak. Here’s how to diagnose and fix your VPN problems.
Testing is a crucial component of our hands-on VPN reviews. We run more than 250 individual internet speed tests per VPN provider, check major features like kill switches and check for DNS leaks. During our review process, we’ve even uncovered IP leaks, which were thankfully quickly patched. But you don’t have to wait for us: You can easily test your VPN for DNS leaks, WebRTC leaks, kill switch issues or split tunneling problems.
What kinds of IP leaks can occur while using a VPN?
You can experience two main types of IP leaks with a VPN: DNS or WebRTC leaks. The Domain Name System, or DNS, is like an address book — it keeps a record of website domains (like CNET.com) and translates those into their Internet Protocol addresses. When you use a website or app, your device pings your internet service provider’s DNS server requesting that app or site’s IP address. But when using a VPN, your machine usually contacts a VPN server rather than your ISP’s DNS. A DNS leak while using a VPN means internet-connected services like apps and websites will view your actual IP address rather than your VPN provider’s IP address.
On the other hand, a WebRTC, or Web Real-Time Communication, IP leak can show your IP address through a security flaw in programs like web browsers. WebRTC is used in various programs — notably messaging apps like Google Meet and Facebook Messenger. So turning WebRTC off in your browser means those apps may not work properly when running in your browser of choice. While DNS leaks with a VPN enabled are usually the fault of your virtual private network provider, WebRTC leaks are typically related to other software, like your web browser. WebRTC lets web browsers communicate with one another, but they’ll have to share their IP addresses in the process.
How to check if your DNS has leaked
You can toggle on and off split tunneling in many VPN apps, including NordVPN. Split tunneling may not be available on some devices or operating systems.
Split tunneling is a neat option that lets you select which apps use a VPN connection and which don’t, so you can leave your VPN running without tunneling all of your traffic through it at once. For instance, I’ll often use split tunneling on my Windows desktop to stream Star Trek: The Next Generation from the Netflix UK library (normally it’s on Paramount Plus in the US) using a VPN while downloading games on Steam outside of an encrypted connection to get the fastest possible internet speeds.
Let’s look at how to test whether your VPN’s split tunneling is functioning correctly.
1. Enable split tunneling in your VPN app.
2. Choose the app or apps you’d like to use your VPN.
3. Open a web browser.
4. Check your IP address.
If your browser is set to tunnel through your VPN, you should see your VPN provider’s IP address instead of your own. But if you’ve got a VPN running with split tunneling enabled and your browser set to bypass your VPN, you should see your own IP address. In either situation, split tunneling isn’t working properly if you notice the opposite.
Best VPNs for masking your IP address
ExpressVPN is the best overall VPN. It features split tunneling, and its WebRTC blocking from within the browser apps makes it a great choice for preventing DNS leaks.
NordVPN is the fastest VPN we tested, so it’s excellent for streaming geo-protected content, like foreign Netflix libraries. Its advanced privacy features, including Tor Over VPN and Double VPN servers, alongside split tunneling, mean Nord can hide your IP address well.
Surfshark is a solid, wallet-friendly VPN that’s fast, great for streaming and packs privacy options for keeping your IP address hidden, such as Multihop (double VPN servers) and split tunneling.
Proton VPN is the best — and only — free VPN we recommend. You’ll get privacy options like split tunneling, Tor Over VPN servers and Secure Core (Double VPN) servers. While Proton’s free tier doesn’t sell your data, plaster your screen with ads or impose usage restrictions, its paid plan provides a much larger server network.
You can test if your VPN is working by checking whether your IP address is masked while your VPN is running. If it’s not, you could have a DNS leak, or you may have split tunneling enabled and set to bypass your web browser.
If your VPN is not connecting, there are several possible explanations. It might be because you don’t have an internet connection. There may also be an issue with your VPN server, such as too many users overloading the server. You could have a setting in your VPN app that is causing problems. Or the VPN protocol you’re using may be blocked by the country you’re in or the network you’re on — especially on school Wi-Fi.
