How to Check If Your VPN Is Working in 2026 (4 Easy Tests)

Why Your VPN Might Appear Connected but Still Leak

A VPN app showing "Connected" doesn't guarantee your privacy is protected. Several failure modes can leave you exposed:

• DNS leaks — your device sends DNS queries to your ISP's servers instead of the VPN's, revealing every site you visit.
• WebRTC leaks — browsers can expose your real IP through WebRTC, bypassing the VPN tunnel.
• Kill switch not enabled — if the VPN drops, traffic reverts to your real IP unless a kill switch cuts the internet.
• IPv6 leaks — if your VPN only tunnels IPv4, your IPv6 address can be exposed directly.

Test 1: IP Address Check

What it checks: Whether your public IP is the VPN server's IP or your real home IP.

1. Note your current IP without the VPN at /tools/what-is-my-ip.
2. Connect to LimeVPN and choose a server.
3. Visit /tools/what-is-my-ip again.

What you should see: A completely different IP address matching the VPN server's country. If the same IP appears both times, the VPN is not routing your traffic correctly.

Test 2: DNS Leak Test

What it checks: Whether your DNS queries go through the VPN's DNS servers or leak to your ISP.

1. Connect to LimeVPN.
2. Visit /tools/dns-leak-test and run the extended leak test.

What you should see: DNS servers belonging to the VPN provider, not your ISP. If you see your ISP's name, you have a DNS leak.

Fix: Enable "Block DNS leaks" in LimeVPN Settings, or try switching to a different server.

Test 3: WebRTC Leak Test

What it checks: Whether your browser exposes your real IP through WebRTC, which can bypass the VPN tunnel.

1. Connect to LimeVPN.
2. Visit /tools/ip-leak-test.
3. Check the "WebRTC IP" section of the results.

What you should see: Only the VPN server's IP. If your real home IP appears under WebRTC, you have a leak.

Fix: In Firefox, set media.peerconnection.enabled to false in about:config. In Chrome/Brave, enable WebRTC leak prevention in uBlock Origin's settings.

Test 4: Kill Switch Test

What it checks: Whether your internet drops when the VPN disconnects, preventing accidental IP exposure.

1. Connect to LimeVPN with the kill switch enabled.
2. Confirm you're browsing normally through the VPN.
3. Force-disconnect the VPN by pressing Disconnect in the app.
4. Immediately try to load a webpage.

What you should see: The internet stops working entirely until you reconnect the VPN. If pages continue loading, the kill switch is not working — check Settings.

What to Do If Your VPN Is Leaking

1. Try a different server — switch locations and re-run the tests.
2. Enable the kill switch — if it wasn't on, enable it in LimeVPN Settings.
3. Switch protocols — try WireGuard if on OpenVPN, or vice versa.
4. Update the app — check /download for the latest version.
5. Contact support — LimeVPN's team can diagnose network-specific issues.

Common Reasons a VPN Stops Working

1. ISP blocking VPN traffic — switch to OpenVPN TCP on port 443 (looks like standard HTTPS).
2. Wrong protocol — corporate and hotel networks sometimes block specific protocols. Switch in LimeVPN Settings.
3. App outdated — keep the app updated for correct routing.
4. Server overload — switch to a less congested server.
5. Split tunneling misconfigured — review rules to ensure sensitive apps aren't excluded from the VPN tunnel.

How Often Should You Test Your VPN?

• On a new device — run all four tests before trusting the setup.
• In a new location — hotel and corporate networks behave differently.
• After an app update — updates can change default settings.
• If something seems off — slow speeds or unexpected geo-location results are worth investigating.

For ongoing monitoring, use LimeVPN's connection checker. Run the full test suite: IP check · DNS leak test · WebRTC/IP leak test.