Is my VPN working?
By Muntaha Shaheen · · 3 min read
Run the live check with your VPN on: if it shows the VPN server's address and location instead of your own, and the WebRTC test finds no other address, your VPN is working. DNS and IPv6 can still leak around it, so the checks below cover those too.
1. Did your IP address and location change?
This is the check that matters most. Load the iplogs.com check once with the VPN off and once with it on. With it on, the address, network and location should be the VPN server's, not your internet provider's, and the result usually names a VPN or a hosting network.
If you still see your own provider, the VPN isn't carrying your browser's traffic: it may be disconnected, set to split tunnelling that leaves the browser out, or blocked by the network you are on.
2. Does WebRTC give away another address?
WebRTC lets browsers make direct connections for calls, and in doing so it can reveal an address the VPN was meant to hide. On the check page, run the WebRTC test. If it finds an address that isn't the VPN's, your browser leaks it.
3. Are your DNS lookups going through the VPN?
Every site you open starts with a DNS lookup. If those lookups go to your provider instead of through the VPN, your provider can still see which sites you visit. iplogs.com doesn't test this; a dedicated DNS leak test such as dnsleaktest.com does. The servers it lists should belong to your VPN, not your provider.
4. Is IPv6 leaking past the VPN?
Some VPNs only carry IPv4. If your connection also has IPv6, sites that support it can reach you over IPv6 outside the tunnel. iplogs.com answers over IPv6, so if the check shows an IPv6 address from your own provider while the VPN is on, your VPN isn't carrying IPv6.
5. Do your time zone and language fit the VPN's country?
They don't reveal your address, but a VPN doesn't change them either. Sites compare your browser's time zone and language with the country of your IP, and a mismatch is one of the signs they use to spot a VPN. The check page shows both, so you can see what a site sees.
What to do if a check fails
- Your own address shows: reconnect, try another server or protocol, and turn on the VPN app's kill switch so traffic stops when the tunnel drops.
- WebRTC leaks: turn on the VPN app's WebRTC protection if it has one, or block WebRTC from exposing local addresses with a browser setting or extension.
- DNS leaks: set the VPN app to use its own DNS servers, and turn off any custom DNS on the device that bypasses it.
- IPv6 leaks: use a VPN that carries IPv6, or turn IPv6 off on the device while you use one that doesn't.
A working VPN is not the same as an undetectable one. When the check says VPN detected, that usually means the VPN is doing its job: sites can see you use a VPN, not who you are.
Questions people also ask
How do I know if my VPN is working?
Open a VPN check with the VPN on. If it shows the VPN server's IP address and location instead of your own, the VPN is carrying your traffic. Then test WebRTC, DNS and IPv6, which can leak around it.
Can websites tell I'm using a VPN even when it works?
Often, yes. Many VPN servers are on published lists or in hosting networks, so sites can see that you use a VPN. They can't see your own address while the VPN works.
Why does my VPN show the wrong country?
Location comes from geolocation databases, which can lag behind when a VPN moves or rents new addresses. The address itself is still the VPN's; only the map is out of date.