Millions of people use a VPN every day — but most of them have no idea if it is actually working. You might think you are protected, while your real IP address, location and browsing activity are completely exposed. This guide explains exactly how VPNs work, what can go wrong, and how to use our free tools to verify your privacy in under 2 minutes.
What Is a VPN? (Simple Explanation)
A VPN (Virtual Private Network) is a service that encrypts your internet connection and routes it through a server in another location. Instead of your real IP address being visible to the websites you visit, they see the VPN server’s IP address instead.
Without a VPN, every website you visit can see your real IP address, and your ISP (Jio, Airtel, BSNL, etc.) can see every domain you access. With a VPN active, your ISP only sees that you are connected to a VPN server — they cannot see which websites you visit.
What Is an IP Address and Why Does It Matter?
An IP address is a unique number assigned to your device on the internet — like a home address for your device. Every website, app and online service you connect to can see this address. From your IP address alone, websites can determine your approximate city, your ISP, and in some cases your neighbourhood.
In India, all ISPs are legally required to store browsing logs. Your IP address is the link between you and every website you visit. If you value your privacy, understanding and protecting your IP address is the first step.
How to Check If Your VPN Is Working
The biggest problem with VPNs is that they can appear to be working while actually leaking your real information in several ways. Here are the four things you must check:
1. IP Address Check
The most basic check: is your IP address showing as your VPN server’s IP, or as your real home IP? Connect your VPN, then use our IP checker tool to see what IP address the world sees.
- VPN working correctly: Your IP shows a location in the country your VPN is set to (e.g. Germany, USA, Singapore)
- VPN not working: Your IP shows your real city and ISP (e.g. Mumbai, Jio)
- VPN detected but suspicious: IP shows a data centre or known VPN provider IP range
2. DNS Leak Test
A DNS leak is one of the most common and dangerous VPN problems — and most people have never heard of it. Here is what happens:
Every time you type a website address (like google.com), your device sends a DNS query to a DNS server to find the website’s IP address. When you use a VPN, these DNS queries should go through your VPN’s encrypted tunnel to the VPN’s own DNS servers. But if your device is misconfigured, the DNS queries leak out to your ISP’s DNS servers — exposing every domain you visit, even though the actual traffic is encrypted.
To check for DNS leaks, use the DNS Leak Test tab in our free tool. If you see servers belonging to your ISP (Jio, Airtel, BSNL, Hathway etc.), you have a DNS leak. If you only see servers belonging to your VPN provider, you are safe.
3. WebRTC Leak Test
WebRTC is a browser technology used for video calls, voice chat and file sharing in apps like Google Meet, Zoom and Discord. It works by establishing direct peer-to-peer connections — and to do this, your browser reveals your real IP address to the other party.
The problem: WebRTC bypasses your VPN entirely. Even when your VPN is active and your visible IP shows the VPN server location, WebRTC can still expose your real home IP address to websites that use WebRTC — including simple scripts embedded on any webpage.
4. Speed Test (With and Without VPN)
VPNs always slow down your internet connection to some degree because your traffic is encrypted and routed through an extra server. The question is how much. A good VPN should reduce your speed by no more than 10–30%. If your VPN is cutting your speed by 70% or more, you need a better server or a better VPN provider.
Use our speed test to measure your connection both with and without the VPN — then compare. If the difference is too large, try connecting to a VPN server that is geographically closer to you.
Best Free & Paid VPN Options in 2026 (India)
How to Fix Common VPN Problems
Fix DNS Leaks
- Use a VPN app with built-in DNS leak protection (NordVPN, ProtonVPN, ExpressVPN all have this)
- Manually set your device’s DNS to your VPN provider’s DNS servers
- In Windows: Network Settings → Change adapter options → IPv4 Properties → set DNS to your VPN’s servers
- Use 1.1.1.1 (Cloudflare) or 9.9.9.9 (Quad9) as your DNS — both are privacy-respecting public options
Fix WebRTC Leaks
- Chrome: Install uBlock Origin → click the extension icon → Settings → check “Prevent WebRTC from leaking local IP addresses”
- Firefox: Type
about:configin the address bar → search formedia.peerconnection.enabled→ set it tofalse - Brave Browser: Already blocks WebRTC leaks by default — the most privacy-friendly choice in 2026
- Use a VPN that provides browser extensions with WebRTC blocking built in
Improve VPN Speed
- Choose a server geographically closer to your real location
- Switch from OpenVPN to WireGuard protocol — it is significantly faster with the same security level
- Try different server locations — some servers are overloaded while others are fast
- Use a wired ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi when possible
VPN vs Proxy vs Tor — What Is the Difference?
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Quick Privacy Checklist
- ✅ Run an IP leak test — confirm VPN is changing your visible IP
- ✅ Run a DNS leak test — confirm DNS queries go through VPN servers
- ✅ Run a WebRTC leak test — confirm no browser IP leaks
- ✅ Check your VPN’s no-logs policy — is it independently audited?
- ✅ Use WireGuard protocol if your VPN supports it (faster and more secure)
- ✅ Enable kill switch on your VPN app (cuts internet if VPN drops)
- ✅ Use DNS-over-HTTPS (DoH) in your browser settings as an extra layer
Conclusion
A VPN is one of the most valuable privacy tools you can use in 2026 — but only if it is working correctly. Millions of people are paying for VPN subscriptions while their real IP address, ISP and browsing activity are being exposed through DNS leaks, WebRTC leaks or misconfigured DNS settings.
Use our free VPN tools to check your IP address, test for DNS leaks, check for WebRTC leaks and run a speed test — all in one place, for free, without any sign-up. Run these checks every time you connect to a new VPN server, or whenever you suspect your VPN is not working correctly.
Privacy is not about having something to hide. It is about having the right to control who sees your data. Start by knowing what is actually being exposed right now.
