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A connected VPN and a changed public IP do not prove that your DNS queries use the VPN’s intended resolver. To check for a DNS leak, record your DNS resolver with the VPN off, reconnect on the same device and network, then use a test that can identify which resolver handled a unique DNS query. Check IPv6 and WebRTC separately: they are distinct paths, not substitutes for a DNS test.
What a DNS leak means—and what a changed IP does not prove
DNS translates domain names into the addresses your device uses to connect. A DNS leak occurs when queries reach a resolver you did not intend to use—for example, an ISP-associated resolver—or take a path outside the VPN configuration. The VPN’s public exit IP and the DNS resolver are separate facts: seeing the VPN IP in an ordinary public-IP check is useful, but it does not establish where DNS queries went. AMTSO’s 2025 VPN Testing Guidance treats DNS, IP, and packet leaks as distinct issues and emphasizes testing across connection states and network environments.
How to check for a DNS leak
Compare VPN-off and VPN-on results on the same device, browser, and network. Keep notes on the operating system, browser, and connection as well; a clean result describes only that tested setup.
- Record a VPN-off baseline. Disconnect the VPN. Check your public IP and use a DNS test capable of identifying the resolver that handled its query. Note the reported resolver and your setup.
- Connect the VPN and repeat. Use the same device, browser, network, and DNS test. Confirm whether the public IP reflects the VPN exit, then evaluate the resolver result independently.
- Use a resolver-observing DNS test. An IP-only browser check cannot prove which resolver answered a lookup. VPN and Privacy explains a unique-hostname method that lets an authoritative nameserver observe the resolver making the query, and provides example terminal checks: VPN and Privacy’s DNS leak test guide. Follow its documented method rather than treating an IP result as a DNS verdict.
- Compare the results. An ISP-associated resolver while the VPN is connected is a reason to investigate, not by itself a complete diagnosis. A test page that cannot observe the resolver cannot settle whether DNS followed the intended route.
Check IPv6 and WebRTC as separate exposure paths
A DNS test does not establish whether IPv6 or WebRTC traffic is exposed. Assess each separately. AMTSO recommends testing multiple leak states, including server changes, network-interface changes, and split tunneling, rather than treating one successful check as universal proof.
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IPv6
Determine whether your VPN tunnels IPv6 or whether IPv6 is unavailable outside the tunnel. A VPN that tunnels only IPv4 may leave an IPv6 route outside it; actual behavior depends on the device and VPN configuration. An IPv6 check is evidence about that path, not a DNS result.
WebRTC
Compare any public WebRTC candidates with the VPN address. A public candidate that differs from the VPN IP is an exposure concern. Private LAN addresses such as 10.x or 192.168.x, and link-local IPv6 addresses, are not equivalent to disclosing your public ISP address.
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What to inspect when the resolver is unexpected
Settings differ by VPN, operating system, browser, and version. Check the documentation for your exact platform before changing a setting. If you make a change, alter one relevant item at a time and repeat the same tests so you can tell what affected the result.
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- Split-tunneling rules that might route the browser or DNS-related traffic outside the VPN.
- Browser secure-DNS settings and the operating system’s resolver configuration, which may affect which resolver receives queries.
If these checks do not explain the result, consult the VPN provider’s current platform-specific documentation or support. A fix cannot be assumed to exist or behave identically across products and devices.
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Test transitions if you rely on continuous protection
A steady connected-state test does not show what happens when the connection changes. Repeat relevant checks while changing VPN servers, moving between Wi-Fi access points, switching between Wi-Fi and mobile data, or forcing a tunnel drop. These scenarios matter if you need protection to persist through interruptions. AMTSO’s guidance calls for testing leak states during transitions and says unencrypted packets should not exit through another interface in the relevant transition tests.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What a clean result can—and cannot—tell you
- A VPN exit IP in a public-IP check supports the conclusion that ordinary browser traffic used the VPN route; it says nothing conclusive about the DNS resolver.
- A resolver-observing test can show which resolver handled the tested query, but only for that device, browser, network, and connection state.
- IPv6 and WebRTC results concern their own paths. Neither replaces a DNS check.
- Repeat the checks after meaningful VPN, browser, operating-system, or network changes. One clean run is not a guarantee for every connection state.
AMTSO also recommends disclosing test methods and tool selection when comparing VPN software. A meaningful comparison would hold platform and protocol constant where possible and assess DNS behavior, IPv6 handling, WebRTC, split tunneling, kill-switch response, and server or network transitions. The available guidance does not establish a ranking of VPN providers.
Quick Recap
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