If your IP address is different than the one you had before you connected to the VPN, then it probably works, right? Wrong. Many VPN users believe that a simple IP change (which, by the way, can be also achieved without a VPN) means that the VPN is up and running, protecting your connection and privacy at full-force. However, this false sense of security may do more harm than good, especially if your VPN isn’t exactly what it advertises itself to be.  

How to check if your VPN is working?

As a result, you won’t be connected to the VPN server of your choice (even though you thought you were), and your connection won’t be secured and anonymized. However, note that some VPNs might leak data from some of their servers, while others are kept airtight. We’re not telling you to run leak tests every time you connect to a VPN server but is that such a crazy idea? Better safe than sorry, after all. Bonus: Note that ipleak also has a torrent address detection feature. You add a magnet link to your torrent client of choice and wait for the results. If you see your real IP address in the torrent address testing area, your VPN is not secure. We recommend sticking to only one speed test tool, and switching only if it doesn’t seem to work with your VPN (it’s not unheard of). On the other hand, running tests on multiple servers can help you understand if and how location affects speed. It’s worth mentioning that certain VPNs enforce speed/bandwidth limits only on some of their servers/locations.

Final thoughts on testing your VPN

All things considered, it’s of utmost importance to understand how your VPN works and test it for leaks at least every once in a while. Remember, even if your VPN successfully masks your IP, that doesn’t mean it also shields other sensitive data from prying eyes. Last, but not least, running speed tests on your VPN can help you learn if the VPN limits bandwidth/speed, and also how location can affect your VPN connection speed.

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