Everyday Internet & Troubleshooting
How to Tell If Your VPN Is Working
A connected VPN icon doesn't guarantee you're protected. Run these quick checks to be sure your real IP isn't leaking.
1. Did your public IP actually change?
Note your IP with the VPN off, then turn it on and reload IP Ducky. The address — and usually the country — should change. If it's identical, your VPN isn't routing traffic.
2. Check for a WebRTC leak
Browsers can expose your real IP through WebRTC even while a VPN is active. Our privacy & leak test runs a WebRTC check and flags any address that differs from your VPN IP.
3. Watch for a time-zone mismatch
If your device clock is set to one region but your IP says another, sites can infer you're on a VPN. The leak test compares the two and warns you.
4. Look for DNS leaks
If your DNS requests still go to your ISP's resolver, your browsing can be logged even behind a VPN. Good VPNs route DNS through their own servers — check your provider's DNS-leak page while connected.
5. Confirm the location looks right
Open My Connection Details and confirm the city/country match the VPN server you chose. Use the snapshot/compare feature to see a clean before‑and‑after of your IP and location.