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The reliable way to test a VPN is to compare the same device and browser twice: first with the VPN disconnected, then with it connected. Record your public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses, apparent provider and country, DNS resolver organizations, and browser WebRTC addresses. With the VPN connected, your ISP address, ISP DNS identity, and ISP IPv6 address should disappear; the visible address and resolvers should belong to the VPN path. Repeat the comparison after changing servers, networks, and split-tunneling settings because a VPN can appear connected while traffic still escapes.
What counts as a DNS or IP leak?
A VPN leak is traffic that reaches the internet outside the encrypted tunnel and exposes information associated with your ordinary connection. The visible symptom may be your ISP’s public address, an ISP-operated DNS resolver, an IPv6 address that the VPN does not carry, or a browser API revealing the same public address that was visible before the VPN was connected.
The phrase “VPN server leak” is often used loosely. In practice, the problem is usually the route, resolver, browser, or client configuration on your device rather than a defect in one physical server. A client can display Connected while websites, DNS operators, or peer-to-peer APIs still see identifying network data. RookVPN describes this risk as a connection that can show “Connected” while exposing your identity to websites, DNS logs, or peer-to-peer APIs.
A passing result is specific:
- The public IPv4 address changes from the VPN-off baseline to an address assigned to the VPN exit.
- The DNS test shows the VPN’s resolver organization or a resolver selected by the VPN, not your ISP’s resolver.
- WebRTC does not reveal the baseline public address.
- IPv6 is either absent while connected or uses an IPv6 path belonging to the VPN.
- The same protection remains in place during server changes, Wi-Fi changes, and Wi-Fi-to-mobile handoffs.
A private LAN address such as 192.168.x.x in a WebRTC result is not, by itself, an ISP public-IP leak. Those local addresses are reused inside many networks and are not the public address assigned to your household or mobile account.
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Prepare a controlled, repeatable test
Use the same device, operating-system account, browser, and network for the first two rounds. Close unusual traffic such as downloads, video calls, and peer-to-peer applications so that every result describes the VPN rather than a changing workload. If your VPN has split tunneling, note which applications are excluded before testing; an excluded browser or terminal will intentionally use the ordinary connection.
Open an IP-checking page and a DNS-leak testing page in the browser you normally use. Use a service that reports public IPv4, IPv6 when available, provider or network name, country, and the DNS resolver organizations that answered its queries. Keep a written record or screenshots rather than relying on memory.
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On the same device, identify the local resolver and interface state with the operating system’s tools. These commands do not replace a browser test, but they help explain a surprising result:
- Windows: run
ipconfig /allto view DNS servers and interfaces. - macOS: run
scutil --dnsto view configured and scoped resolvers. - Linux systems using systemd-resolved: run
resolvectl status. - For IPv6 addresses and routes, use
ip -6 addrandip -6 routeon Linux,ipconfigon Windows, orifconfigon macOS.
Record the VPN application version, protocol, server location, kill-switch state, DNS-protection setting, IPv6 setting, and split-tunnel rules. Configuration differences matter when you compare results; AMTSO’s 2025 guidance says testers should disclose their configuration and test method.
Step 1: Establish the VPN-off baseline
Disconnect the VPN completely, not merely from one browser window. Wait for the normal network connection to return, then run each test. This baseline is the reference against which every connected result is judged.
Record the public IP and network identity
- Open the IP-checking page.
- Write down the public IPv4 address, if shown.
- Write down an IPv6 address, if shown. Some connections have no IPv6; record “none detected” rather than treating the absence as an error.
- Record the apparent provider or ISP, country, and any autonomous-system or network name displayed.
The exact city shown by an IP database is not a leak test. Geolocation databases can be imprecise. The useful baseline is the address and network identity that your ordinary connection presents.
Record DNS resolvers
- Open the DNS-leak test page while still disconnected from the VPN.
- Run its standard or full test, if both are offered.
- Record every resolver organization, hostname, and location returned.
Resolver names may differ from your ISP’s marketing name because an operating system, router, browser, or privacy service can already be using another resolver. That is why the baseline must capture the actual result rather than assume which company handles DNS.
Record browser WebRTC addresses
- In the same browser used for normal browsing, open a WebRTC leak test.
- Record public addresses shown under local, reflexive, or server-reflexive candidates.
- Separate public addresses from private LAN addresses such as
192.168.x.x,10.x.x.x, or172.16.x.xthrough172.31.x.x.
ExpressVPN’s documented comparison uses this baseline approach: disconnect, note the public addresses, reconnect, and repeat. If any public address from the disconnected round remains visible after reconnection, investigate it as a potential leak.
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Step 2: Connect the VPN and repeat exactly
Connect to one VPN server and wait until the client reports that the tunnel is established. Do not change the browser, network, or test pages between rounds. Run the IP, DNS, and WebRTC checks in the same order and compare each field with the baseline.
Check the public IP first
The public IPv4 should change to the VPN exit address. The provider or network name may identify a hosting company or VPN infrastructure rather than your ISP, and the displayed country should normally correspond to the selected exit region. If the address is unchanged, the likely causes include split tunneling, a failed route, a browser or application bypass, or a client that has not actually installed the tunnel route.
An address in the expected country is not proof by itself. A VPN can change the web-facing IP while DNS or IPv6 still uses the ordinary connection, so continue with the other tests.
Check DNS while connected
Run the same DNS test and compare resolver organizations and locations with the baseline. Seeing the same ISP resolver that appeared while disconnected indicates that DNS queries are bypassing the tunnel. FortiSafe defines a leak as traffic leaving the VPN tunnel and revealing the internet provider; DNS is one of the clearest ways this can happen.
Resolver location is a clue, not a definitive verdict. A VPN may use a resolver operated in a different country from the exit server, and a third-party resolver may not display the VPN’s brand. Treat the resolver organization and the disappearance of the ISP identity as the important comparison.
Check WebRTC in the same browser
Run the WebRTC test again. A repeated public address from the VPN-off baseline is a leak even if the ordinary IP-checking page shows the VPN address. A private LAN address alone is not an ISP public-IP leak. Browser behavior can vary by browser, profile, extensions, and operating system, so test every browser you use for sensitive activity.
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If the baseline showed IPv6, verify that the connected test does not show the baseline IPv6 address or any other IPv6 route outside the tunnel. AMTSO states that when a device is connected to an IPv4-only VPN, no IPv6 traffic should leave unencrypted, because the VPN does not protect that separate protocol path. A safe outcome is no IPv6 connectivity while connected or an IPv6 address and route belonging to the VPN.
If the baseline had no IPv6, absence during the VPN test does not prove that the VPN supports IPv6. It only means this particular network did not expose an IPv6 path to test.
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Use browser and terminal checks together
A browser test sees browser-specific behavior, especially WebRTC. A terminal check sees the route used by the command’s process and can reveal that split tunneling applies differently to command-line applications. Neither view covers every application on the device.
With the VPN connected, compare a browser result with the output of the operating system’s resolver and route commands. If the browser shows VPN DNS but resolvectl status, scutil --dns, or ipconfig /all still shows an ISP resolver, determine whether the browser is using encrypted DNS independently or whether the displayed system resolver is merely a stale configuration. Flush or renew the network state, then repeat the external DNS test.
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Likewise, a terminal process may be excluded by an application-level split-tunnel rule while the browser is protected. Test the applications that matter to you rather than assuming one successful result covers the entire device.
Test transitions, not only a stable connection
Many leaks occur while the client is reconnecting rather than after the tunnel has settled. AMTSO’s 2025 guidance calls for testing all connection states and network environments, including server changes, Wi-Fi hotspot changes, Wi-Fi-to-mobile changes, WebRTC, IPv6, and unexpected split-tunnel exclusions.
Change VPN servers
- Start with a passing connected result.
- Switch to another server or region in the VPN client.
- During the switch, watch for a brief return of the baseline public IP or ISP DNS result.
- After the new server reports connected, rerun all three browser tests and the IPv6 check.
A different VPN exit address is expected. The baseline ISP address or resolver appearing during or after the switch is not.
Change Wi-Fi access points
- Connect to a second Wi-Fi network, such as a different home, office, or hotspot network.
- Keep the VPN client configured the same way.
- Wait for the client to reconnect, then repeat IP, DNS, WebRTC, and IPv6 tests.
Captive portals can require temporary unprotected access before authentication. Treat that period as untrusted and do not perform sensitive activity until the VPN is connected and the tests pass.
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- Run a passing test on Wi-Fi.
- Disable Wi-Fi and allow the device to use mobile data.
- Wait for the VPN to re-establish, then repeat the complete test.
- Switch back to Wi-Fi and test once more.
The client should fail closed or block traffic during a handoff if a kill switch is enabled and functioning. A short period in which the ISP address is visible is evidence that the transition is not fail-closed.
Interpret the results
| Observation while connected | Interpretation | Action |
|---|---|---|
| Only the VPN exit IPv4 and VPN-path identity appear | IPv4 routing passed this round | Continue with DNS, WebRTC, IPv6, and transition tests |
| An ISP public IPv4 from the baseline remains | Likely route, split-tunnel, or failed-connection leak | Check routes and exclusions; enable fail-closed behavior and retest |
| An ISP resolver hostname or organization appears | DNS queries are bypassing the tunnel | Enable VPN DNS and disable split DNS where available |
| The baseline public WebRTC address appears | Browser WebRTC is exposing the ordinary connection | Apply browser WebRTC controls and test each browser again |
| The baseline IPv6 address appears | IPv6 is outside the protected path | Use end-to-end VPN IPv6 support or disable IPv6 at the operating-system level |
Only a private address such as 192.168.x.x appears in WebRTC |
Not automatically a public-IP leak | Confirm that no baseline public address is also shown |
| Results differ between browser and terminal | Application-specific routing or DNS behavior is likely | Inspect split-tunnel rules and test each relevant application |
Do not classify a test from one field alone. A changed IPv4 does not cancel an ISP DNS result, and a VPN DNS result does not prove that WebRTC or IPv6 is protected. The connected round passes only when every exposed identifier is either absent or follows the VPN path.
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Fix a leak and retest
WebRTC exposure
Use the browser’s privacy controls to disable WebRTC where that setting is available, or install a reputable WebRTC-blocking extension. Apply the change in every browser and profile used for private activity. Close and reopen the browser if the setting requires it, then repeat the WebRTC test with the VPN connected and compare the result with the original baseline.
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Blocking WebRTC can affect voice, video, screen sharing, and peer-to-peer applications. If a service stops working, decide whether that application needs WebRTC and test it in a separate, explicitly trusted browser profile rather than silently assuming the block is active everywhere.
DNS exposure
Enable the VPN client’s option labeled “Use VPN DNS,” “DNS leak protection,” or equivalent. Disable split DNS if the client or operating system offers that control, unless you deliberately need an internal corporate resolver and understand which applications will use it. Reconnect the VPN, flush or renew local DNS state, and run the external DNS test again.
If the ISP resolver still appears, inspect router-level DNS redirection, enterprise management profiles, browser-encrypted-DNS settings, and application-specific resolvers. A browser can use its own encrypted DNS while another application continues to send queries through the system resolver, so test both paths.
IPv6 exposure
Choose a VPN that tunnels IPv6 end to end if you need IPv6 connectivity while protected. If the VPN cannot tunnel IPv6, disable IPv6 at the operating-system level as a containment measure and then retest. Disabling IPv6 is not a substitute for verifying the result: confirm that no IPv6 address or traffic appears outside the VPN after the change.
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Enable the client’s kill switch or fail-closed setting. Some clients distinguish between a general kill switch and rules that apply only after an established tunnel fails; select the strictest mode available when protecting all traffic. Repeat server changes, Wi-Fi changes, and Wi-Fi/mobile transitions. AMTSO’s requirement is that no unencrypted packets leave through another interface during these transitions.
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A single clean test is not a lifetime guarantee. When evaluating a VPN, compare the controls that determine whether the clean result survives different states:
| Capability | Questions to ask | Evidence from testing |
|---|---|---|
| DNS handling | Does the client force DNS through the tunnel? Can split DNS be disabled? Are resolver addresses documented? | No baseline ISP resolver appears in connected tests or after network changes |
| IPv6 | Is IPv6 tunneled, blocked, or left to the operating system? | No baseline IPv6 address or outside route appears while connected |
| WebRTC protection | Does the service provide browser guidance, or must protection be configured separately? | No baseline public WebRTC address in every browser used |
| Split tunneling | Can rules exclude browsers, terminals, or individual applications? Are exclusions obvious? | Browser and non-browser tests agree, or every intentional exception is understood |
| Kill switch | Does it block during server changes and interface handoffs, not only after a manual disconnect? | No baseline address appears during controlled transitions |
| Cross-application consistency | Do system, browser, and application traffic use the same tunnel? | External tests and local route/resolver checks align for the applications that matter |
AMTSO recommends documenting configuration differences and test methods because two apparently conflicting leak reports may have used different protocols, browsers, networks, or split-tunnel rules.
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Troubleshoot common confusing results
The IP changed, but the DNS test still shows the ISP
This is a classic DNS leak: web traffic uses the VPN exit while name lookups use the ordinary resolver. Turn on the VPN’s DNS protection, remove or review split-DNS rules, and retest after reconnecting. Do not treat the changed IP as sufficient evidence of privacy.
The DNS test shows an unfamiliar organization
An unfamiliar resolver is not automatically a leak. Compare it with the VPN’s documented resolver behavior and with the disconnected baseline. A resolver can be operated by a hosting or security provider and appear under a different name from the VPN client. The deciding question is whether your ISP’s baseline resolver or another intentionally excluded resolver appears.
The browser shows a private WebRTC address
A private LAN address is common and is not the public address assigned by your ISP. Look for a public address that matches the VPN-off baseline. If none appears, this particular WebRTC result does not demonstrate a public-IP leak.
The connected test shows no IPv6
No IPv6 can be the correct fail-safe result when the VPN carries only IPv4. Confirm that IPv6 was present in the baseline; if it was not, you have not tested IPv6 capability on this network. If you require IPv6, choose a configuration that explicitly tunnels it rather than assuming that absence means support.
Only one application leaks
Review split-tunneling and per-application VPN rules. A browser, terminal, game, or background service can be excluded intentionally or accidentally. Test the application’s own traffic while connected and remove the exclusion if all of its traffic must use the tunnel.
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This is a transition leak. Enable the strict kill switch, wait for the client to block traffic before reconnecting, and repeat server and network handoffs. If the baseline address is visible during the gap, do not rely on that configuration for uninterrupted protection.
How often should you repeat the test?
Repeat the complete comparison after installing or upgrading the VPN client, changing protocol or DNS settings, enabling split tunneling, changing browsers, adding privacy extensions, or moving to a network with IPv6. Recheck after operating-system updates that modify networking or browser WebRTC behavior. For routine use, a shorter connected check after a server or network change can catch obvious failures, but the full VPN-off baseline should be recreated whenever the underlying network or device changes substantially.
BrowserLeaks’ DNS test, as described by FortiSafe, resolves 50 random names: 25 IPv4-only and 25 IPv6-only. That is a description of the test design, not a claim that a particular percentage of VPNs fail. There is no authoritative, comparable prevalence figure in the available guidance for how many consumer VPNs leak, so a test result for your own device is more meaningful than an unsupported industry percentage.
Minimal pass checklist
- VPN-off IPv4, IPv6, provider, country, resolver, and public WebRTC addresses are recorded.
- VPN-on IPv4 is different and belongs to the VPN exit path.
- No VPN-off ISP resolver appears in the connected DNS test.
- No VPN-off public WebRTC address appears; private LAN addresses are evaluated separately.
- No VPN-off IPv6 address or outside IPv6 route appears.
- Browser and terminal or other important applications follow the intended tunnel.
- Server changes, Wi-Fi changes, and Wi-Fi/mobile transitions do not expose the baseline address or resolver.
If any checklist item fails, treat the VPN as leaking for that traffic until you correct the configuration and complete the comparison again. A green status icon is not a substitute for these tests.
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