VPN Check: Is My VPN Working Correctly?

You open your VPN, see that you’re connected, and assume you’re good to go. But that status only confirms that the app has established an active session. It doesn’t tell you which IP address websites can see, where your DNS requests are going, or whether your real IP could slip through if the VPN suddenly disconnects.

Don’t panic just yet. We’re here to show you how to check if your VPN is working on computers, phones, browser extensions, public Wi-Fi, and game consoles. The guide will also walk you through what different results mean and what to do if something doesn’t look right.

Quick Guide: How to Check If Your VPN Is Working in 2 Minutes

If you need an answer fast, you can check the basics in just a couple of minutes:

1. Disconnect your VPN and open the CyberGhost VPN privacy test. Note your public IP address, estimated location, DNS servers, and WebRTC result.
2. Connect to a VPN server in another city or country.
3. Refresh the privacy test and compare the results.

If your VPN is working, you should see: 

• • A different public IP address associated with the VPN server.
  • A different estimated location that matches or is near your selected server.
  • No DNS leak, which means your regular ISP’s DNS servers shouldn’t appear.
  • No IPv6 leak, which means your regular IPv6 address shouldn’t remain visible.
  • No WebRTC leak, so WebRTC shouldn’t expose your regular public IP address.

A changed IP confirms that browser traffic reached the VPN server. For a more thorough check, run the eight tests below to make sure DNS, IPv6, WebRTC, and your kill switch are also working as expected.

Is My VPN Working? Run These 8 Tests to Check

1. Confirm the VPN Connection Is Active

Start by checking your VPN has actually finished connecting. Open the VPN app, select the power button, and wait for the status to change from Connecting to Connected or Protected. Most VPN apps will also show the server location you’re using and may display your new VPN IP address or active protocol. 

If the app stays stuck on Connecting or shows an error, disconnect and try another nearby server. You can also restart the VPN app or your device before testing again. CyberGhost VPN’s app on iPhone or iPad also lets you run an extra connection check. Here’s how you can do it:

1. Open the CyberGhost VPN app and tap Settings > VPN > Connection Checker.

2. Click Run test and check the results.

Once the VPN shows an active connection, move on to the public IP test. That will confirm whether your browser traffic is actually going through the VPN rather than relying on the app’s status alone. 

2. Compare Your Public IP Address

Your public IP address should change when your browser traffic passes through the VPN server. To check it actually did change, disconnect from your VPN and open the CyberGhost VPN privacy test in your browser. Write down the IPv4 address and location shown on the page.

Next, connect to a VPN server and refresh the same test page. The IP address should now differ from the one you recorded, and the location should match or sit near your selected VPN server. This confirms that the browser traffic you tested is reaching the VPN server.

If your regular IP remains visible, reconnect to the VPN and test again. You should also check whether you’re using a browser extension or split tunneling, as either can leave some traffic outside the VPN tunnel.

3. Check for an IPv6 Leak

An IPv6 leak occurs when your regular IPv6 address remains visible even though you’re connected to a VPN. This can expose information about your regular internet connection outside the VPN tunnel.

First, disconnect your VPN and run an IP leak test. If you see an IPv6 address, note it down. Connect to your VPN and run the same test again. If the IPv6 address you recorded before connecting disappears or changes, your regular IPv6 address isn’t being exposed. If the same address remains visible, you may have an IPv6 leak.

If you spot a leak, reconnect to your VPN and test again. If it persists, update your VPN app and check its IPv6 or leak protection settings. You may also need to review the IPv6 settings on your device or router.

4. Check for DNS Leaks

A DNS leak occurs when your DNS queries bypass the VPN tunnel and expose the DNS servers you normally use, often those operated by your ISP. When you enter a web address, DNS translates the domain name into the IP address needed to reach the site. 

To check for a DNS leak: 

1. Disconnect your VPN and run a DNS leak test. Note the DNS providers that appear.

2. Connect to a VPN server and run the test again.

3. Compare the results. Your regular ISP’s DNS servers shouldn’t appear while the VPN is connected.

A provider you don’t recognize doesn’t automatically mean you have a leak. Your browser may be using Secure DNS or another custom resolver, which can affect the DNS server names you see during testing. Check the DNS settings in your browser, device, and router before treating an unfamiliar result as a failure.

If your regular ISP’s DNS servers still appear, reconnect to your VPN and test again. You can also try another server or VPN protocol. Restart the browser and rerun the test after each change so you can see which step corrected the DNS route.

5. Test for WebRTC Leaks

A WebRTC leak occurs when your browser exposes your regular public IP address even while you’re connected to a VPN. WebRTC powers things like browser-based calls, video, screen sharing, and peer-to-peer connections, but it can sometimes reveal network information you expected the VPN to hide.

To check for a WebRTC leak:

1. Connect to a VPN server.
2. Open a WebRTC leak test in your usual browser.
3. Compare the result with your baseline IP address you recorded before connecting.
4. Repeat the test in any other browser you use.

The test passes when it doesn’t expose your regular public IP or other network details that could bypass your VPN. Addresses beginning with 192.168, 10, or 172.16 to 172.31 are private network addresses and don’t reveal your public IP. If the test shows the same public address you recorded before connecting, WebRTC may be exposing it outside the VPN route — and your next steps depend on the browser you’re using.

In Firefox, type “about:config” in the address bar, accept the warning if prompted, and search for “media.peerconnection.enabled.” Double-click the preference to change its value to false. This disables WebRTC peer connections, so keep in mind that browser-based calls and other features that rely on WebRTC may stop working.

Chrome, Edge, Opera, and Safari don’t offer the same simple built-in setting to disable WebRTC. Update your browser, check whether an extension could be interfering with your VPN, and run the test again. You can also follow our browser-specific WebRTC leak prevention steps for additional fixes.

6. Check Which Apps and Browsers Use the VPN

Seeing your regular IP address in one browser or app doesn’t always mean your VPN is leaking. It may simply mean that particular traffic isn’t set to use the VPN.

Test each browser and app separately, since your results depend on how you connected to your VPN and whether you excluded any traffic from it. If you’re using a browser extension:

1. Connect to the VPN through the extension.
2. Run the IP and WebRTC tests in that browser.
3. Open another browser and repeat the IP test.

While connected, the browser running the VPN extension should show the VPN server’s IP address. Another browser may still show your regular IP address because most VPN extensions only protect traffic inside the browser where they’re installed. 

If you’re using a full VPN app:

1. Connect through the VPN.
2. Run the IP test in your main browser.
3. Repeat it in another browser or app you want the VPN to cover.

The results should show the VPN server’s IP in both browsers unless you’ve created an exclusion. If one browser, app, or website still uses your regular connection, review your split-tunneling or exception settings. An exclusion routes selected traffic outside the VPN on purpose, so a different result isn’t necessarily a leak. Only remove the exclusion if you want that traffic to go through the VPN too.

7. Test the Kill Switch

A VPN’s kill switch blocks internet traffic if the VPN connection drops unexpectedly. This helps prevent your regular IP address from becoming exposed. Before testing, make sure the kill switch is enabled in your VPN app if your provider gives you that option. Then, connect to a VPN server and open a non-sensitive IP test page.

Next, interrupt the VPN connection without intentionally disconnecting from the VPN app. For example, you could switch between different VPN protocols or change VPN servers. The exact method depends on your VPN and device, so check your provider’s instructions if needed. While the VPN is reconnecting, try refreshing the test page.

If the kill switch is working, your internet traffic should remain blocked until the VPN connection is restored. Your regular public IP address shouldn’t appear during the interruption. If traffic resumes before the VPN reconnects, update the app, restart the device, and repeat the test.

8. Measure Speed, Ping, and Connection Stability

Speed testing shows how the VPN performs, but a slower result doesn’t prove your VPN isn’t working correctly. Encryption, VPN server distance, network congestion, Wi-Fi quality, and the VPN protocol you use can all affect performance. 

To compare your connection with and without the VPN:

1. Disconnect your VPN and run a speed test. Note your download speed, upload speed, and ping.

2. Connect to a VPN server and repeat the test using the same speed test server.

3. Compare the results and watch for connection drops or large changes in ping.

Some decrease in speed or increase in ping is normal when using a VPN. What matters is whether the connection remains stable and fast enough for what you’re doing.Frequent disconnects, large ping swings, or failed reconnections need further checks. Change the VPN server or protocol, restart the router, and compare Wi-Fi with a wired or mobile connection.

How to Test Your VPN on Different Devices and Networks

The same basic VPN tests work across most devices, but a few situations need a slightly different approach. Here’s what to check when you’re using a phone, public Wi-Fi, or a VPN-enabled router.

Android and iPhone

Switch between Wi-Fi and mobile data to confirm your VPN reconnects when the phone changes networks. Connect through the VPN on Wi-Fi and run the IP and DNS tests. Then turn off Wi-Fi, wait for mobile data to connect, and check that the VPN reconnects before running the tests again.

If one app still appears to use your regular connection, check whether you’ve excluded it using split tunneling or another VPN setting. You can also open your VPN app after switching networks to confirm that the connection is active.

Public Wi-Fi

Complete the network’s sign-in page before connecting the VPN, then rerun the full check. Join the Wi-Fi network and complete its captive portal sign-in. Connect to the VPN only after the network grants internet access. Run the IP, DNS, and WebRTC tests, then lock and wake the device or switch briefly to mobile data to check reconnection.

Avoid entering sensitive details until the VPN shows an active connection, and the tests confirm the expected route. If the VPN can’t connect, try another server or protocol and check for network restrictions on VPN traffic.

Game Consoles and VPN Routers

Test the router or shared connection that carries the console’s traffic, because most game consoles don’t support a native VPN app. Confirm that the console connects to the Wi-Fi network or router group configured for the VPN. If the console has a usable browser, open an IP-check page and compare its location with the selected router server.

If it doesn’t have a browser, test another device assigned to the same VPN-routed network. If the result shows the expected VPN location, your console is likely using the same VPN route. Confirm the console sits in the same group before treating that result as proof.

How to Read Your VPN Test Results

Judge each result against the baseline you recorded, rather than expecting every server name or address to look familiar. An unexpected result may come from cached test data, Secure DNS, or an intentional split-tunneling rule, so check the settings linked to that test before treating it as a leak.

Test	Pass	Needs Investigation	Fail
Public IP	Shows the VPN server IP	Shows an unexpected different IP	Shows your baseline public IP
IPv6	Baseline IPv6 disappears or follows the supported route	Shows a new IPv6 result that you can’t identify	Shows your baseline public IPv6
DNS	Shows VPN or approved resolver servers	Shows an unfamiliar third party	Shows your regular ISP’s DNS
WebRTC	Doesn’t show the baseline public IP	Shows local or private addresses	Shows the baseline public IP
Kill switch	Traffic stops during the drop	Traffic pauses late or behaves inconsistently	Regular IP appears
Speed	Remains stable enough for the task	Varies between runs	Repeated drops or unusable performance

Check More Than the Connected Badge

When checking if your VPN is working, trust the results rather than the status message alone. If your IP address changes as expected and your VPN passes the DNS, IPv6, WebRTC, and kill switch checks, you can be more confident that the traffic you tested is going through the VPN as intended. It’s worth running these checks again after major VPN or browser updates, or whenever you switch to a new network.

If you need a reliable VPN, CyberGhost VPN is a solid option. It includes built-in leak protection and a Kill Switch to help prevent your regular connection details from slipping through. It also uses the strongest encryption ciphers available to protect your traffic while it travels through the VPN tunnel. You can put it through the tests yourself with its 45-day money-back guarantee (14 days for monthly subscriptions). 

FAQ