Published on: February 16, 2025 Updated 2 times since publishing
Short on time? Here’s how to check if your VPN is working:
- Check your IP address. Search “What’s my IP?” in Google before and after connecting to your VPN. If your IP address doesn’t change, your VPN isn’t working.
- Run a DNS leak test. Use an online DNS leak test tool to confirm your internet requests are being routed through your VPN.
- Perform a WebRTC leak test. Visit a WebRTC leak test site to check if your real IP address is being revealed despite the VPN connection.
- Verify IPv6 protection. If your ISP allows IPv6 traffic, use an IPv6 leak test tool to confirm your VPN is tunneling (or blocking) IPv6 traffic properly.
- Check for VPN throttling. Run a speed test before and after connecting to the VPN. A drastic drop in speed could indicate issues with the VPN connection.
- Test data encryption. A functional VPN will encrypt your web traffic, rendering it unreadable. You can verify this by using free packet inspection tools such as Wireshark.
Verifying that your VPN is functioning properly is simple and takes just a few minutes. You don’t need any technical knowledge or special tools — all you need is a basic internet connection and a few free websites.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through simple steps to check if your VPN is doing its job properly. If your VPN fails any of these tests, I also share some quick fixes to get it back on track.
How to Check if Your VPN Is Working
You can run several tests to check that your VPN is working as it should — and we regularly use all of these when testing and ranking VPNs. Here, I share step-by-step instructions for each.
For this guide, I used ExpressVPN, which is one of the top VPNs on the market (and no surprise, it passed all of these tests).
If your VPN happens to fail any of these tests, here’s how you can fix it.
Method 1. Check Your IP Address
A working VPN changes your public IP address. This means that when you’re connected to the VPN, your IP address should be different from the one you have when you’re not connected. To check this:
- Disconnect from the VPN, type “what’s my IP” into the search bar or your browser, and check the results. Alternatively, you can directly visit whatismyipaddress.com, which is a reliable site for confirming your public IP address.
- Open your VPN app and connect to any server. Again, type “what’s my IP” into your search engine and take a look at the results. Note your IP address once you’re connected to the VPN server.
- Compare the IP addresses. If it changes after connecting to the VPN, your VPN is working. If it stays the same, your real IP is exposed.
Pro tip: Some VPNs show the IP address they’ve assigned to you on the main dashboard. If that’s the case with your VPN, you can just compare that IP address with the one you see in your browser.
Method 2. Run a DNS Leak Test
A DNS leak exposes your real location and IP address through your DNS requests, even if the VPN is hiding your general internet traffic. This type of leak happens when your device sends DNS requests (which help translate website names into IP addresses) outside of the VPN, using your ISP’s (Internet Service Provider’s) servers.
The best way to check if your DNS requests are leaking is to use a leak test site, such as dnsleaktest.com. Here’s what to do:
- Open your VPN app and connect to a server.
- Visit dnsleaktest.com. Once there, click Standard Test and review the results.
- Check the results. If the ISP column shows your real internet service provider, your VPN isn’t working. The Country column should match the VPN server location you selected. If it doesn’t, your connection is likely leaking your real location. In my case, since I’m connected to a Canadian server location, I know my VPN is doing its job.
Method 3. Perform a WebRTC Leak Test
A WebRTC leak happens when your browser uses your device’s actual IP to make direct peer-to-peer connections for faster communication (like video calls) without relying on a server — which is why it can bypass the VPN and leak your real IP.
To check for WebRTC leaks, you can use a leak test website, such as browserleaks.com. Follow these steps:
- In your browser’s address bar, type “browserleaks.com/webrtc” and hit enter.
- Wait for the website to load and perform the test automatically. Check to make sure there are no WebRTC leaks.
Method 4. Verify IPv6 Protection
An IPv6 leak is like a regular IP leak, but it happens specifically with IPv6 traffic. While a regular IP leak exposes your real IP through IPv4 (the older internet protocol), an IPv6 leak happens when your device uses the newer IPv6 protocol and the VPN doesn’t protect that traffic, allowing your real IP address to slip through unnoticed.
To check if your VPN is leaking IPv6 traffic, go to ipleak.net. The site will run the test automatically. If your ISP or VPN doesn’t support IPv6 traffic, you’ll see a message that reads “IPv6 test not reachable.” If your VPN blocks IPv6 traffic, you’ll see the same message.
Editor’s note: My leak test results show this message because my ISP doesn’t support IPv6 traffic. I asked a colleague to do the same test when connected to ExpressVPN, which automatically blocks IPv6 traffic, and the results are shown in the screenshot above.
Method 5. Test Your Connection Speed
Running a speed test is useful if you’re experiencing slow loading times, buffering, or lag, and you suspect your VPN might be the cause. It’s important to note that a slowdown doesn’t necessarily indicate a problem — using a VPN will always slow your internet speeds to some extent.
Here’s how to test your connection speeds:
- Make sure your VPN is disconnected.
- Visit speedtest.net and click Go. Note down the test results.
- Connect to the VPN, reload the site, and do the test again.
- Compare your download and upload speeds with and without a VPN connection. If the drop is significant, it may indicate that your VPN isn’t working properly.
It’s important to know that a VPN’s performance isn’t determined by a speed test alone, and results can vary significantly depending on several factors, such as your base internet speed, server distance, network congestion, and even the VPN protocol used.
The numbers below provide a general guide to understanding VPN speed impact, but they’re not a one-size-fits-all rule. If you have a very fast or slow internet connection, your experience may differ. For example, if you have a 1 Gbps connection, losing 30% of your speed might not be noticeable. But if your base speed is 50 Mbps, a similar percentage drop could make streaming or gaming difficult.
- Nearby server (same country or region). A well-optimized VPN should only reduce your speeds slightly, typically by 10–20%. Some premium VPNs, like ExpressVPN, keep slowdowns to a minimum and even improve speeds if your ISP is throttling your traffic.
- Distant server (another continent). A larger drop (30–50% or more) is normal due to the increased distance and higher latency. This doesn’t necessarily mean there’s a problem — it’s simply how internet routing works.
Method 6. Test Data Encryption
To test whether your connection is properly encrypted, I recommend using Wireshark.
Wireshark is a packet analyzer that lets you see the data being sent and received on your network in real time. It helps diagnose network issues, including whether your VPN is encrypting your connection as it should. It’s available for Windows and macOS.
How to Install & Use Wireshark on Windows & macOS
- Visit wireshark.org and click Download.
- Click on the link for your operating system. Once downloaded, install the app on your device.
Note for macOS users: Installing Wireguard on macOS requires an additional step. After installing the app, you’ll need to download and install the ChmodBPF launch daemon. If you’re using Windows, you can skip to step 6 to learn how to use Wireshark.
- After installing Wireshark on macOS, open the app, and click Wireshark → About Wireshark → Folders.
- Once there, double-click the link next to macOS Extras.
- In the Extras folder, double-click Install ChmodBPF.pkg. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation. Note: If you ever want to delete Wireshark from your Mac, make sure to come back to this menu and run the ChmodBPF uninstaller first.
- Once installed, open Wireshark and select your active network connection by simply highlighting it. I’m using my Wi-Fi network in this example. Then, click the little blue “fin” icon to begin capturing packets. I suggest running the scan for anywhere from 1–2 minutes to gather enough data. Once 1–2 minutes have elapsed, click the red “stop” icon.
- When you’ve stopped the scan, right-click any entry that displays your VPN’s currently active protocol. In my example, I’m using the WireGuard protocol, so I’ll click any of its entries. Click Follow → UDP Stream.
- Take a look at the results. If all of the information looks like a scrambled mess that nobody can understand, your VPN is working. If your traffic appears as readable text instead of encrypted data, it means your VPN isn’t encrypting your traffic – which is a problem.
Editor's Note: ExpressVPN and this site are in the same ownership group.
What to Do if Your VPN Isn’t Working
If your VPN failed any of these tests, don’t worry — it’s likely fixable. Here are some steps you can take to resolve the most common VPN issues and get your connection back to optimal performance.
Your IP, DNS, or IPv6 Details Are Leaking
Several things can cause your VPN to leak your IP address, DNS requests, and IPv6 traffic. Here are some things you can do to fix that:
- Make sure your VPN is connected. It’s obvious, but it can happen to the best of us. If you’ve never used a VPN before, look for an “on” or “quick connect” button or a status indicator that confirms you’re connected. If it’s off, connect to a server.
- Check that you’re not exceeding your VPN’s device limit. This is mostly applicable if you’re using a free VPN or a VPN that limits the number of simultaneous connections.
- Try connecting to a different server. You can connect to a server in the same location by disconnecting and reconnecting to the same server location.
- Ensure you’ve enabled leak protection. Some VPNs with built-in DNS and IPv6 leak protection require you to check a box to turn the feature on. You can usually find these boxes in your VPN’s Settings. Also, If your VPN has a kill switch, turn it on.
- Opt for a secure VPN protocol. Options like OpenVPN and WireGuard offer strong security and might resolve the problem.
WebRTC Is Leaking
Many VPNs don’t include built-in WebRTC leak protection. The good news is this is very easy to enable in your browser.
- In Google Chrome: Download and install the WebRTC Network Limiter extension. This forces WebRTC traffic to follow your VPN’s proxy settings, preventing your real IP address from leaking. You can also configure it to block non-proxied UDP traffic for added protection.
- In Firefox: Type “about:config” (without quotation marks) in the address bar and hit return. If a warning appears, click Accept the Risk and Continue. In the search bar, type “media.peerconnection.enabled” (without quotation marks), then double-click the result to set it to False. This disables WebRTC, preventing your real IP from leaking.
- In Microsoft Edge: Type “about:flags” (without quotation marks) in the address bar and press return. Locate Anonymize local IPs exposed by WebRTC and enable it to prevent your real IP address from leaking.
- In Opera: Go to Settings, use the search bar to find WebRTC, and toggle Disable non-proxied UDP on. This forces WebRTC traffic through your VPN.
- In Brave: Open Settings, click the search icon, and type “WebRTC” (without quotation marks). Under WebRTC IP Handling Policy, select Disable Non-proxied UDP to prevent leaks.
Your Connection Speed Is Slow
VPN speed can be influenced by many factors, from server distance to network congestion. Since internet speeds are easily affected by different variables, a few simple adjustments can often make a big difference.
- Switch to a different server. Closer servers usually provide faster speeds. If your VPN has an automatic “fastest server” option, use it.
- Change your VPN protocol. Some protocols are faster than others. WireGuard is typically the fastest option available with most VPNs. OpenVPN is another good option, but do note that OpenVPN UDP is quicker than OpenVPN TCP. Ultimately, it’s best to just test different protocols to see which works best for you.
- Check your internet connection. If you’re on Wi-Fi, switching to a wired Ethernet connection can improve speed and stability.
- Close background apps. Streaming services, large downloads, or other high-bandwidth activities can slow down your connection.
- Consider your VPN provider. Some VPNs have slower infrastructure, especially free or budget options. If speed is a priority, upgrading to a premium VPN with better server optimization may help.
Your Connection Isn’t Encrypted
If Wireshark shows your connection isn’t encrypted, your VPN isn’t doing its job. Unfortunately, there’s no easy way to fix this if you’ve enabled all security settings and leak protection and tried a bunch of different servers. At this point, the best thing you can do is reach out to the provider’s customer support and ask for more technical help.
If that fails, it’s likely time to switch VPNs. I’ve never experienced this issue with any of the VPNs I always recommend, like ExpressVPN — investing in a reputable VPN is the best way to keep your data safe.
Your VPN Can’t Access a Site
Some websites block VPN traffic to prevent fraud (like bank sites) or stop users from accessing region-locked content, like Netflix. In other cases, the government and your ISP might be blocking your access. Here’s what to do:
- Connect to an obfuscated server. This is the only way to get around VPN blocks in countries that restrict VPN traffic, like China and Russia, or on networks at work and school, for example. Obfuscation makes your traffic look like regular traffic, so it won’t get flagged.
- Get a dedicated IP address. A dedicated IP address belongs only to you, so it’s unlikely to get flagged as a VPN IP address and blacklisted. This is usually the best option for accessing sites like your bank site. Private Internet Access offers dedicated IP addresses from 10 countries for a small extra cost.
- Reconnect to the same server location. If a site like Netflix is blocking your access because it’s blacklisted your VPN IP address, try reconnecting to the same location, which should give you a different IP address. If that doesn’t work, then you should probably consider getting a good streaming VPN that can access streaming platforms — not all VPNs can do this.
Editor's Note: Intego ONE, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
More Things You Can Do
Besides directly addressing the above problems, you can take some additional steps. Here’s what you can try:
Use another VPN port, if available.
Double-check your device’s power settings.
Use only a single VPN app at a time.
Check that other software isn’t blocking your VPN.
Editor's Note: Intego ONE, Private Internet Access, CyberGhost and ExpressVPN are owned by Kape Technologies, our parent company
Frequently Asked Questions
How to test if my VPN is working?
To check whether your VPN is working, you’ll need to run a couple of tests to make sure it’s not leaking your IP address, DNS requests, or IPv6 traffic. It’s also a good idea to see if it’s causing a major drop in your speeds. I explain how to do all of these tests, step-by-step, here.
How do I get my VPN to work?
If your VPN is connected but not working, start by ensuring you’re on a stable server. Some servers may be congested, so switching to a different location can help. Also, check that you’ve selected the right protocol—WireGuard and OpenVPN are often more reliable. You can find more of my tips on how to fix your VPN here.
Why is my VPN not working?
There are several reasons your VPN might not be working, like a slow or unstable internet connection, overloaded servers, incorrect settings, and disabled leak protection. If you’ve tried everything you can think of and the VPN still isn’t working, check out my troubleshooting tips on what to do if your VPN fails. These should address any issue you’re having, but if they don’t, it’s time to contact your VPN’s customer support or consider changing your VPN provider.