A VPN app’s “Connected” label is not proof that every browser request is protected. Test the exact device, browser, VPN profile and network you use: record your public IP and DNS resolver with the VPN off, repeat with it on, then check IPv6 and WebRTC separately. Finally, repeat the checks while changing VPN servers and networks. Any result that still identifies your ISP needs investigation.
What a VPN leak test can—and cannot—prove
A leak test compares the network identity and name-resolution path visible from a particular device and browser. It can show whether the browser is still presenting your normal public IP, sending DNS queries to an ISP resolver, exposing an IPv6 route outside the tunnel, or publishing a public address through WebRTC.
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Those are separate paths. A changed IPv4 address does not prove that DNS is protected. A clean DNS result does not prove that WebRTC or IPv6 is contained. A pass on one browser does not cover other applications, another browser profile, or a different network. Treat every result as bounded to the configuration you actually tested.
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Prepare a trustworthy test
Use the setup you depend on
Run the checks on the device and browser you use for sensitive work, with the VPN profile and extensions normally enabled. If you care about a particular application, test that application’s traffic separately; a browser test does not automatically represent every process on the device.
- Close other VPN clients, proxy tools and traffic-filtering applications that could alter the route.
- Note browser extensions, secure-DNS settings, operating-system privacy relays and security software that may change DNS or IP results.
- Use one browser window for the baseline and the connected test, and record the time and network used.
- Keep the VPN client on its normal protocol and settings for the first pass. Change one setting at a time when troubleshooting.
Prevent a false baseline
Your “VPN off” result must represent the unprotected connection. In one documented example, Apple iCloud Private Relay hid the ISP during the initial comparison, so the baseline was discarded and repeated with Private Relay disabled. If a privacy relay, corporate proxy or similar service remains active, label the result accordingly or turn it off before starting.
Do not assume that disconnecting the VPN restores the ordinary route immediately. Wait for the operating system to show the normal network connection, then refresh each test page and record a new result.
The repeatable IP, DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC procedure
- Disconnect the VPN. Confirm that the VPN client reports a disconnected state. Open an IP-check page and a DNS-leak test in the browser you are testing.
- Record the baseline. Write down the public IPv4 address, the ISP or network provider shown, and every DNS resolver organization or hostname listed. If the tools display IPv6 or WebRTC candidates, record those results too. A screenshot with the date and network name is useful.
- Connect one VPN server. Wait until the client reports a stable connection. Return to the same test pages, rather than relying on a different site or browser.
- Compare the public address. The connected result should show a VPN exit address or another address that is not the ISP baseline. Note the displayed country or city only as a label; it is not evidence that the tunnel is technically sound.
- Compare DNS independently. Check whether the resolver organizations or hostnames remain those of the ISP. A VPN-branded or otherwise expected resolver path is less concerning, but the exact presentation varies by service; record what the tool reports instead of inferring from the app’s status.
- Run the IPv6 check. Compare connected and disconnected results. If the unprotected network had no IPv6 address, an absent IPv6 result after connecting is inconclusive rather than proof that IPv6 is being handled safely.
- Run the WebRTC check. Look for public candidate addresses and compare them with both the ISP baseline and the VPN connection IP. Treat a private local-network address differently from a public ISP address.
- Repeat after transitions. Change VPN servers, move between Wi-Fi access points, and switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data where possible. Refresh the tests after each transition and watch for a momentary return of the ISP address or resolver.
- Check exclusions. Review split-tunneling or per-app routing. Make sure the browser and any helper process involved in DNS or WebRTC have not been deliberately excluded from the tunnel.
AMTSO’s transition guidance is stricter than a single settled-state screenshot: during a server or network change, no data packets should leave unencrypted. If you cannot observe the exact handoff, enable the client’s kill switch and use repeated checks immediately after reconnecting; describe the result as limited if the transition itself was not observed.
What each check measures
| Check | What it reveals | Concerning connected result | Important qualification |
|---|---|---|---|
| Public IP | The address a website sees for the browser request. | The same public ISP address seen with the VPN disconnected. | It covers the tested browser request, not automatically every app. |
| DNS | The resolver receiving domain-name lookups and potentially seeing requested domains. | ISP resolver organizations or hostnames still appear while the VPN is connected. | Inspect resolver identity; the VPN app’s status alone is not evidence. |
| IPv6 | Whether IPv6 traffic has a route separate from an IPv4-only tunnel. | A public IPv6 address associated with the ISP appears only when connected, or IPv6 traffic otherwise bypasses the tunnel. | If the VPN-off network has no IPv6, an absent result cannot establish correct IPv6 handling. |
| WebRTC | Browser real-time communication candidates that can include IP addresses. | A public candidate matching the ISP baseline rather than the VPN connection. | A private LAN address (for example, an internal home-network address) is not the same as exposing the public ISP IP. |
How to interpret an IP result
Expected result
With the VPN connected, the public address should differ from the VPN-off baseline and should correspond to the VPN service’s exit path as shown by the test. The ISP’s ordinary public address should not reappear when you reload the page through the same browser.
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When the ISP address remains
If the exact baseline address is still visible, the browser request is not taking the expected VPN route. Confirm that the client is connected to the intended profile, that no second proxy or VPN is conflicting, and that split tunneling does not exclude the browser. Disconnect and reconnect, then repeat the baseline and connected checks rather than relying on a single refresh.
Why a changed IP is not a complete pass
IP checks see the source address of an HTTP request. They do not inspect the resolver used before that request, IPv6 traffic that follows another route, or WebRTC candidates gathered by the browser. Continue with all three additional checks.
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How to test for DNS leaks
Read the resolver identity
A DNS-leak tool usually lists one or more resolver organizations or hostnames. Record the entries with the VPN disconnected, then compare them while connected. If the connected list still identifies your ISP, DNS queries may be leaving outside the intended VPN path even if websites see the VPN’s public IP.
Resolver names are not always identical between tests: a service can use several resolvers, and a tool may display an organization rather than a hostname. Compare the organization and network relationship, not just a single text string. A result that cannot identify the resolver should be treated as unknown, not automatically clean.
Check browser secure DNS separately
Browsers can have their own secure-DNS setting. Depending on the browser and configuration, it may send encrypted DNS directly to a selected resolver instead of using the VPN client’s DNS path. Review the browser’s privacy or security settings and the VPN client’s DNS-protection or “use VPN DNS” control together. After changing either, close or restart the browser if required and rerun the same test.
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What an ISP resolver result means
An ISP resolver shown while connected is evidence that the tested browser’s lookups may be outside the expected path. It does not by itself reveal every query or prove that all applications leak, but it is sufficient reason to inspect DNS settings, split tunneling and conflicting network software.
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IPv6: test the path that IPv4 checks miss
Some VPN tunnels handle IPv4 but leave IPv6 available through the underlying network. AMTSO advises ensuring that IPv6 traffic cannot leave unencrypted when an IPv4 VPN is tested.
Establish whether IPv6 exists before connecting
Run the IPv6 portion of the test with the VPN off. If the tool reports no IPv6 address or the network is IPv4-only, there is no baseline IPv6 path to compare. When the same absence appears with the VPN on, the finding is inconclusive: it could mean the network has no IPv6, not that the VPN safely tunnels or blocks it.
Interpret a public IPv6 mismatch
If the unprotected baseline shows an ISP-associated IPv6 address and the connected test shows that same address, IPv6 is bypassing the expected tunnel. Look for a VPN option that tunnels IPv6 or blocks it, or disable IPv6 where appropriate for your operating system and network policy. Apply one change, reconnect, and test again. Disabling IPv6 can affect services that require it, so do not treat it as a universal improvement.
WebRTC: distinguish a private address from an ISP leak
WebRTC lets browser-based voice, video and peer-to-peer features discover candidate addresses. A WebRTC test can therefore expose information that an ordinary IP page does not show. Technical research by Nasser Mohammed Al-Fannah, dated 15 September 2017, found that exposure varied by browser, VPN service and configuration; the mechanism is real, but that study is not a current prevalence estimate.
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Compare public candidates
Run the WebRTC check with the VPN disconnected and connected. A public candidate that matches the ISP baseline instead of the VPN connection IP is concerning. It indicates that the browser has learned a public address outside the expected VPN path.
Do not overreact to a local address
A result such as a private LAN address identifies an internal interface, not the public ISP address assigned to your connection. Decide whether a finding is public or private before calling it a leak. The privacy impact and the practical fix are different.
Choose the least disruptive control
Inspect browser WebRTC controls and any VPN setting designed to prevent WebRTC exposure. Fully disabling WebRTC can impair browser video calls, voice chat and other real-time applications. If those features matter, prefer a control that limits public candidate exposure while preserving required functionality, then verify the result in the browser you actually use.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Test server changes and network changes
VPN-server transitions
While a test page is open, switch to another VPN server and refresh after the new connection settles. Repeat the IP, DNS, IPv6 and WebRTC checks. If the old ISP address appears during reconnection, enable the VPN client’s kill switch or equivalent traffic-blocking option and test the transition again. A settled result cannot certify that no packets escaped during the handoff.
Wi-Fi access-point changes
Move between two Wi-Fi access points, or disconnect and reconnect to the same access point. Network changes can briefly remove the tunnel while the operating system negotiates a route. Check the public IP and DNS immediately after reconnection and once more after the VPN reports stable.
Wi-Fi-to-mobile transitions
On a device with cellular data, switch from Wi-Fi to mobile data and back. Record whether the VPN automatically reconnects and whether the kill switch blocks traffic until it does. A result that is clean on Wi-Fi but exposes the ISP or mobile carrier during the handoff is a transition failure, not a contradiction.
Split tunneling and per-app exclusions
Split tunneling intentionally sends selected applications outside the VPN. An IP test in an included browser cannot tell you whether an excluded browser, helper process or other app is protected.
- Open the VPN client’s split-tunneling or per-app routing panel.
- Check whether the browser is listed under excluded applications or bypassed routes.
- Look for separate exclusions for browser helpers, DNS clients or real-time communication components.
- Temporarily disable the exclusion, reconnect, and rerun the tests.
If removing the exclusion fixes the result, decide whether the bypass is intentional. Document the exception and test the excluded application separately; do not describe the whole device as protected when only some traffic uses the tunnel.
Fixes matched to the symptom
Public ISP IPv4 remains visible
- Confirm that the browser is not excluded by split tunneling.
- Close competing VPN or proxy clients and reconnect the intended VPN profile.
- Check for a browser extension or operating-system proxy that routes traffic independently.
- Enable the kill switch, change servers, and retest after the connection stabilizes.
ISP DNS resolvers appear
- Enable the VPN client’s DNS-leak protection or “use VPN DNS” setting if available.
- Review browser secure-DNS configuration; it may override the VPN’s resolver path.
- Inspect operating-system DNS settings and per-app exclusions.
- Reconnect and compare resolver organizations again, rather than assuming the setting change worked.
IPv6 bypasses the tunnel
- Use a client configuration that tunnels IPv6, if the provider and platform support it.
- Otherwise block or disable IPv6 where appropriate for the device and network.
- Retest with the VPN off and on so you know whether IPv6 existed in the baseline.
WebRTC reveals the public ISP address
- Review browser WebRTC privacy controls and the VPN’s WebRTC protection.
- Remove browser or process exclusions that allow direct connectivity.
- Disable WebRTC only if the resulting loss of browser voice, video or related features is acceptable.
- Repeat the test after restarting the browser or applying the client change.
A practical retest matrix
| Scenario | Record | Pass criterion for the tested setup |
|---|---|---|
| VPN disconnected, normal Wi-Fi | Public IPv4, DNS resolvers, IPv6 and WebRTC candidates | A documented baseline that identifies the ordinary network. |
| VPN connected, same Wi-Fi and server | All four checks in the same browser | Public IP and public WebRTC candidate no longer match the ISP baseline; DNS is not the ISP path; IPv6 is handled or absent with a known IPv6 baseline. |
| VPN server change | Results immediately after reconnect and after stabilization | No observed return to the ISP path; kill switch blocks traffic if the tunnel is unavailable. |
| Wi-Fi access-point change | Results during and after reconnection | No exposed ISP IP, resolver or IPv6 route during the tested handoff. |
| Wi-Fi/mobile change | Automatic reconnect behavior and all leak checks | Traffic remains blocked until protected, or the device reconnects without exposing the tested paths. |
| Split tunneling enabled | Included and excluded browser or app results | Each app’s route matches the policy you intended; no excluded app is mistakenly treated as VPN-protected. |
How much confidence should a clean result give you?
A clean result means that the tested browser, device, VPN configuration and network did not expose the checked paths at the times you tested them. It does not establish total anonymity, protect every application, or guarantee future behavior after a client update, server change or network transition.
Keep dated notes of the VPN client version, operating system, browser, server, network and settings. Repeat the four checks after major updates or configuration changes. If a test tool gives an ambiguous result, use a second independent tool and compare the underlying details, but do not convert disagreement into a claim that the connection is safe.
If you need a different VPN, compare the protections—not just the label
When repeated tests reveal a missing capability, compare alternatives on the features that address the observed failure:
- DNS handling: whether non-VPN DNS is blocked and how the client configures resolvers.
- IPv6 behavior: native IPv6 tunneling, reliable blocking, or documented platform limitations.
- WebRTC controls: protection at the client or browser level and the effect on real-time features.
- Kill-switch transitions: whether traffic is blocked while changing servers or networks, not only after a connection is established.
- Split tunneling: whether exclusions are clear and whether the browser can be forced through the tunnel.
Do not treat a provider’s general privacy statement as proof that a particular current client version passes these checks. Verify the exact platform, version and configuration, then repeat the procedure above.
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Bottom line: the reliable way to test
Start with a real VPN-off baseline, then repeat identical IP and DNS checks with the VPN connected. Add independent IPv6 and WebRTC checks, because those can expose paths an IP-only page misses. Finally, change servers and networks while watching the handoff and checking split-tunneling exclusions. A VPN is behaving as expected only for the tested device, browser, configuration and transitions when none of those checks reveals the ISP path.
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