VPN Test: Check if Your VPN Is Working in 2024

To check for DNS leaks, you can use a dedicated DNS leak test tool. We’ll use ExpressVPN in our example and test it using dnsleaktest.com. See our ExpressVPN review to learn more about this service.

1. Connect to Your VPN

   The first step is to ensure that your VPN service is active and that your device is connected to a VPN server. Simply turn on your VPN and connect to a server outside your country.

   

2. Visit a DNS Leak Test Website

   There are several reputable websites that offer DNS leak tests, though we prefer dnsleaktest.com.

   

3. Review the Test Results

   The DNS test website will only show the DNS server information it detects. It’s up to you to “analyze” it. All you need to do is see if the DNS provider matches your VPN’s or internet service provider’s IP address. If you see your ISP’s DNS server instead of your VPN’s, then you have a leak.

   

If the DNS leak test comes out positive, you can try the following steps:

• Verify your VPN settings:Ensure that your VPN client or app is properly configured and that you’re using only secure, modern VPN protocols (see our VPN protocol guide for recommendations).
• Activate DNS leak protection:Some VPNs let you switch DNS leak protection (and other kinds of leak protection) on and off. Make sure yours is turned on.
• Change your VPN server location:Try connecting to a different VPN server, as the issue may be specific to the server you’re currently using.
• Use the VPN provider’s DNS server:Many VPN providers offer their own DNS servers. You can check your VPN settings to see if there’s an option to use the VPN’s DNS server. If there is, activate it.
• Use a custom DNS service: If none of the methods above worked, don’t fret. You can use a third-party DNS service like Cloudflare’s 1.1.1.1 or Google’s 8.8.8.8, as long as your VPN lets you use a custom DNS server.

Like the DNS leak test, all you need to do is hop over to an IP address checker and run the test. We recommend whatismyipaddress.com.

1. Check Your IP Address

   Without connecting to a VPN, go to whatismyipaddress.com. The page should display your public IPv4 and IPv6 addresses.

   

2. Connect to Your VPN and Run an IP Address Leak Test

   Now connect to the VPN, preferably via a server outside your country (so it’s easier to determine whether it’s working), and run the test again.

   

3. Verify the IP Address and Location

   The test will display both your IP address and your approximate geographic location. If you see the same IP address as before and your real location, that’s a positive result for leaks. If the test shows a different IP address and location, your VPN passed the test. In our example, the location changed from Marseille to Paris.

   

If the test to check the IP address location was positive, you can take these steps to remedy the issue:

• Change VPN servers: Most common VPN software issues will usually clear up with a change of server.
• Ensure the VPN is properly connected:Check your VPN app’s settings for anything anomalous.
• Disable IPv6:Some VPN services may not fully support IPv6, causing your version 6 IP address to leak (most internet traffic is to version 4 IP addresses, or IPv4). The IP leak test we recommend will show your IPv6 address separately.
• Check your browser settings:Check the VPN’s proxy and WebRTC settings to make sure your browser isn’t bypassing the VPN tunnel (we’ll go over this next).

Here’s how to check for WebRTC leaks using the browserleaks.com test.

1. Connect to Your VPN

   As always, start by connecting to a VPN.

   

2. Visit a WebRTC Leak Test Website

   Open browserleaks.com and let the test run automatically. You should see a green checkmark and “no leak” written next to it. We haven’t detected any WebRTC leaks on any of our VPNs, so we’re not quite sure what a positive test would show. However, we imagine it wouldn’t say “no leak.”

   

If you’ve been unlucky enough to spring a WebRTC leak, here’s what to do:

• Disable WebRTC: Most web browsers have settings to disable WebRTC, which will effectively prevent leaks. Keep in mind that this will disable in-browser video and audio calls.
• Try the VPN’s browser add-on: Some VPN providers offer browser extensions or add-ons that might prevent WebRTC leaks.
• Use a different browser: This may not be what you want to hear, but if your browser poses a security risk, it might be time to switch to a new one.

We regularly rely on Ookla’s speedtest.net, so that’s what we’ll use for this example (and we suggest you do the same):

1. Test Your Unconnected Speed

   Without connecting to the VPN, open the speedtest.net website and run the test. Log your ping (latency), download and upload speeds.

   

2. Connect to Your VPN and Run the Speed Test

   Connect to the fastest VPN server available to you. The VPN itself will usually recommend one, but if it doesn’t, just use the one closest to you. Next, run the test again and log the new set of speed results. If the VPN’s speeds are less than 80% of your top speed, you might have an issue.

   

All VPNs decrease your connection speed. Many factors go into how fast a VPN is, such as the hardware its servers use, the server congestion and your distance from the server. For a full breakdown, refer to our VPN speed guide.

If your internet speed test revealed a significant decrease in performance while using your VPN, you can try the following troubleshooting tips:

• Connect to a different server: We’ve suggested this several times because it usually works. Some servers might run on older hardware or might be severely congested. Simply switching to a server with fewer connected VPN users could significantly improve your speeds.
• Upgrade your VPN plan: Some VPN providers offer improved connection speeds on higher-tier plans, though we’re not aware of any reputable VPNs pulling this tactic.
• Check your network conditions: Make sure your local internet connection is not causing your speed issues. Check the physical connections to your router and your device’s network settings to ensure there aren’t any connectivity issues affecting the VPN’s performance.
• Disable unnecessary features: Some VPN features may impact your connection speed. If your VPN comes with extra features like malware protection or ad blocking, try disabling them temporarily to see if your speeds improve.

To test your VPN’s malware fighting chops, you can use WICAR’s website, which offers a host of tests. However, the tests required are different for each type of malware protection.

• If your VPN’s malware solution only protects your browsing, you can try any test. The results should show that all of the URLs are blocked. We suggest using the browser-only Java JRE 1.7 Applet or JavaScript Crypto Miner. 
• If your VPN has download protection, you can also try downloading the EICAR test virus file to see if that feature is functioning properly. It’s hosted on a separate website, but the WICAR site links to it as well.
• You can also use the EICAR test virus file for full antivirus solutions to check if the file is quarantined once it’s on your device.

This table shows the different types of VPN malware protection and the corresponding tests:

Here’s how to use the WICAR tests to check if your VPN antivirus is working:

1. Activate Your VPN

   Turn on the VPN and connect to a server.

   

2. Disable Your Antivirus

   If you have a separate antivirus app, disable it (you shouldn’t be running two antiviruses concurrently anyway). This goes for Windows Defender too, as well as any other built-in malware protection your device might come with.

   

3. Access the Test Website

   Open the WICAR test site (or another antivirus testing site) and choose a test based on the type of malware protection your VPN offers. You can refer to our table above to determine which one to use. Follow the steps below to analyze your results.

   

4. Analyzing Malicious Site Blocker Test Results

   This is the simplest test to run. All you need to do is click the link to the JavaScript Crypto Miner test. If you see a warning message preventing you from entering the site, your VPN’s malware blocker is working.

   

5. Analyzing File Download Protection Test Results

   For this test, you’ll need to go a step further. First, dismiss the warning message (and any other consecutive messages that pop up). Then, with the site open, right-click and choose “save as” in the context menu. If the VPN’s malware blocker is working, the file should be blocked from downloading or deleted immediately upon downloading.

   

We ran the infected file download test twice on NordVPN. It deleted the infected file on the second try but failed on the first attempt, despite initially blocking us from opening the download site. 

Unfortunately, there’s not much you can do if your VPN’s malware blocker is malfunctioning apart from general VPN troubleshooting.

• Reboot your device: Before trying anything else, we suggest rebooting your device, as that can sometimes help with malfunctioning apps.
• Disable all other antimalware apps: If you have antivirus or antimalware running, it could interfere with your VPN’s malware blocker. Disabling your antimalware app will usually solve this issue. However, if you already have an antimalware app installed, we strongly suggest you use that one instead of your VPN’s antimalware.
• Reinstall your VPN: Uninstalling your VPN and reinstalling it could fix issues with its antimalware features. If you want a completely clean installation, you can even use a free app like Revo Uninstaller to completely remove all residual files and registry entries before reinstalling.

The following steps explain how to test a VPN’s streaming performance.

1. Connect to Your VPN

   Turn on the VPN and connect to a server in a different country where the streaming service you’re testing is available.

   

2. Access the Streaming Service

   Open the streaming platform’s website. If it’s usually unavailable in your current location, it should be unblocked now. If it’s an international site like Netflix, you should see content from the library where you’re connecting (France, in our case).

   

If your VPN failed this test, try our list of the best VPNs for Netflix to check out some alternatives.

If a streaming platform is blocking your VPN, the solution can be as easy as switching to another server. However, sometimes it’s a bit more complicated than that.

• Switch to another VPN server: Streaming services routinely block VPN server IP addresses. Switching to a different server in the same country can solve this issue, but only if the other server hasn’t been blocked.
• Change your VPN settings: Sometimes trying a different VPN protocol or changing another setting can make a difference in unblocking websites.
• Restart the VPN: The time-tested method of turning the VPN off and on again can help solve VPN streaming issues.
• Wait it out: If your VPN used to be able to unblock a streaming service but can no longer do so on any server, there might be an issue with the VPN provider itself. This happens every now and then as streamers and VPNs race to one-up each other. The only solution is to wait for the provider to fix the issue.