Protect yourself: How to make sure your VPN is shielding you

Check Your VPN Connection

Learn how to check whether your VPN is protecting your data and what to do if your connection unexpectedly drops.

Your VPN keeps your data private from snooping eyes, but sometimes the connection drops. When that happens, and you are still connected, you're naked to the world. Here's how to make sure you never get exposed.

Verify Your VPN Is Active

To confirm your VPN is working correctly:

• Visit a site like ipleak.net or whatismyipaddress.com to check your public IP address
• Compare the displayed IP with your actual IP (when VPN is off)
• Verify the IP matches your VPN server's location
• Check for DNS leaks using the same sites

Enable the Kill Switch

Most VPN providers include a kill switch feature that blocks all internet traffic if the VPN connection drops:

• On Windows/Mac: Look for "Kill Switch" or "Network Lock" in your VPN app settings
• On iOS: Some VPNs offer "Always-On VPN" through system settings
• On Android: Enable "Always-On VPN" and "Block connections without VPN" in your device's VPN settings

Test for DNS Leaks

DNS leaks can expose your browsing activity even when the VPN appears connected:

1. Connect to your VPN
2. Visit dnsleaktest.com
3. Run the standard test
4. If you see your ISP's DNS servers, you have a leak

What to Do When the VPN Drops

If your VPN connection fails:

• Immediately disconnect from the internet
• Reconnect to your VPN
• Verify the connection is secure before resuming activity
• Consider using a VPN with automatic reconnection features

Additional Protection Tips

• Use a firewall to block all non-VPN traffic
• Enable IPv6 leak protection in your VPN settings
• Test your VPN regularly using the tools mentioned above
• Keep your VPN app updated to the latest version