How to Check if Your VPN Is Working
The main purpose of a VPN is to strengthen your online privacy and security. A reliable VPN can hide your online activities from your government and ISP, unblock geo-restricted content, and protect you from cyberattacks.
One way to determine if your VPN connection effectively protects the private data produced and stored on your internet-enabled devices while maintaining optimal internet speed is by testing it. This guide shows you how to test your VPN to know if it’s working as intended.
1. Check Your IP Address
An IP (Internet Protocol) address is the unique set of numerals assigned to your device when it connects to the internet. IP addresses serve as device identifiers, and ISPs can use them to track an internet user’s online activities and location.
The websites you visit can also see your IP address, making it possible for advertising and tracking services to use it to track your activities across the internet.
VPNs protect your privacy by swapping your IP address with the IP address you’re connected to. To find your real IP address, switch off your VPN, visit google.com ora privacy-focused search enginelike DuckDuckGo, type in “What is my IP address,” and pressEnter. Write down the IP address.
To establish whether your VPN changes your IP address, switch it on, visit your web browser, and search “What is my IP address” again. Compare this IP address with the first IP address (public IP address). If the two don’t match, you now know the VPN isn’t leaking your IP address.
2. Test for VPN Encryption
A VPN should create an encrypted tunnel through which communications between your device and the VPN server occur. If someone intercepts it, it should be illegible without an encryption key.
To test if your VPN encrypts your data,download Wireshark, select the network interface with the busiest line graph (typically Wi-Fi or Ethernet), and click the blue fin icon in the top-left corner to start capturing data packets. Let it run for a few minutes, then click the red square button next to the blue fin to stop packet capture.
Locate entries matching your VPN’s protocol, typically WireGuard or OpenVPN. Right-click on the entry, selectFollow, and click on your protocol stream. If the whole stream appears jumbled and unreadable, the VPN’s encryption is working.
3. Check for DNS Leaks
All websites have an IP address, but it’s impractical to remember the unique number of every website you visit. The Domain Name System (DNS) is like the internet’s phonebook, as it associates a website’s IP address with its corresponding domain name.
DNS is the technology that enables you to enter a domain name, like makeuseof.com, into your internet browser instead of its IP address. This makes finding websites easier.
DNS leaks occur when your real IP address becomes exposed, either due to DNS requests being sent outside of the VPN’s encrypted tunnel or bypassed VPN servers.
When not using a VPN, your local ISP handles all your DNS queries, allowing them to see the websites you visit. These sites can also see the source of your DNS requests.
However, when using a VPN, the VPN handles your DNS lookups, so your ISP and websites can’t see what you’re doing online.
To see if your VPN is leaking your DNS, turn your VPN on, head over toDNSLeakTest, and run either a standard or extended test. If the IP address displayed doesn’t match your real IP address but instead matches that of the connected VPN server, then your VPN isn’t leaking your DNS searches.
If your test reveals a DNS leak while connected to the VPN, it could be that your VPN doesn’t provide DNS protection. To resolve this, you may need to switch to a service that includesa VPN kill switchand DNS protection.
4. Check for WebRTC Leaks
WebRTC, short for Web Real-Time Communications, is an open-source communications protocol that enables direct, peer-to-peer communication between web browsers and devices for real-time voice, text, and video streams.
WebRTC leak occurs when your browser reveals your real IP address while processing WebRTC requests, an instance that shouldn’t happen when connected to a VPN.
To test for a WebRTC leak, connect your VPN and visitBrowserLeaks. If the IP address you see underPublic IP Addressmatches the VPN-provided IP address (and not your real IP address), then your VPN prevents WebRTC leaks.
5. Test for Malware
Before installing a VPN, ensure you have reputable anti-malware software likeMalwarebytes or Norton Antivirusinstalled on your device, and schedule regular malware scans.
Testing for malware is particularly important if you plan on using free apps and services, as they tend to harbor malware.
Malware refers tovarious malicious software, including viruses, ransomware, and spyware. To check for malware, visitVirusTotal. Click onChoose fileand upload the VPN’s install file to see the test results.
You should also check the VPN’s privacy policy, online reviews, and comments regarding the VPN service to ensure it’s trusted.
6. Test for VPN Speed
While connecting to a VPN is typically known to slow down internet speeds, it can sometimes speed up internet traffic too.
To see the extent your VPN is affecting your internet speed, disconnect the VPN. Then, visit Google and type in “Internet speed test”, and clickEnter>RUN SPEED TEST.
Next, connect your VPN, do the same test, and compare the results to establish how the VPN is impacting your internet speed.
If it’s slow, switch to a different server and retest the speed; overloaded or distant servers may be the cause of the drop in your VPN speeds.
7. Check for Internet Censorship
When planning to use a VPN to evade state censorship or bypass your school or workplace firewall, a way to check if it’s working is by turning on the VPN and trying toaccess a previously unreachable websiteor service. If you successfully access the desired content, the VPN is working.
Ensure Your VPN Is Working as Intended
Although many VPN providers claim to enhance your security and privacy online, some leak your information, including IP address and DNS info. Cybercriminals can exploit this information, potentially leading to identity theft, device hacking, and other malicious activities.
VPN tests can tell if your VPN is working correctly or not. You can then take the necessary steps, like making it work or switching to a more reliable VPN.
Thinking about choosing a VPN but don’t know where to start? Here’s what you need to check before signing up to a VPN service.
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