If you use a VPN on your computer, mobile phone or Smart TV to safeguard your privacy online, it’s important to know that your virtual private network (VPN) is working correctly. A VPN encrypts your data, hiding your IP address and location from other devices on the Internet. It also protects you against malware and snooping by your ISP (Internet Service Provider). There are several ways to check if your VPN is working and protecting you.

Check if VPN, look up your IP address using an online tool like What is my IP address and note down your original IP address. Next, connect to a different VPN server and recheck your IP address. If your VPN is working properly, the virtual IP address will match the server location you selected. You can also check for DNS leaks by running a DNS leak test on your computer or phone with the VPN off. If your DNS requests go through your ISP, there’s a problem.

How to Check if an IP Address Belongs to a VPN

Lastly, you can run a WebRTC leak test to see if your VPN is protecting you against leaks from the technology built into most browsers to make voice calls and video chats work. If you find that your VPN isn’t protecting you against WebRTC leaks, it may be time to change providers.

Keeping your VPN software up-to-date will also help you stay secure. It’s a good idea to run any new software you download in a sandbox environment, such as the sandbox provided by NordVPN, before installing it on your device. This will help you identify any malware that could potentially infect your system while ensuring that any software is actually what it claims to be before you install it.