This is what I always look for when connecting to a VPN to ensure it's working properly.
Privacy, like all other aspects of security, has become a critical component for the majority of users of all types of devices. This is particularly evident in the internet age, in which we increasingly deal with sensitive and private data.orm all sorts of tasks online, sometimes requiring us to share and transmit sensitive and personal information. At the same time, we strive to avoid constant tracking by various websites and even by our internet service provider while performing these tasks. This is where the importance of the elements we will discuss later comes in, as they will help you browse with greater privacy.
What is the purpose of a Virtual Private Network, or VPN?
Over the past few years, the number of Virtual Private Network (VPN) users has increased significantly. Numerous applications, extensions, and programs are available for this purpose, both free and paid, with a focus on the privacy mentioned earlier. NordVPN is one of the leading providers of this service.
However, most VPN users face a significant drawback: the difficulty of verifying that this security service is working correctly. It's important to remember that many of these platforms operate in the background to mask our IP address. Therefore, what we achieve by using these services is the encryption of our communications and online activity.
In this way, we get an extra layer of privacy beyond the default features offered by most modern web browsers. However, as mentioned, because it operates in the background virtually unnoticed, we often wonder if the VPN service is working correctly.
This is precisely what we'll help you with below, so you can verify that your chosen VPN is working correctly at any time. All of this is separate from the trust we should place in the service we use to protect our privacy, as is the case with another popular option, Surfshark.
How to check if a VPN service is working correctly
Whether you pay for a dedicated security service or use a free one, a Virtual Private Network (VPN) should provide a set of essential functions and reliable performance. Below, we'll outline some checks you can perform in most cases to ensure the platform is working as it should. Setting it up is usually very simple: just open the software, choose a server, adjust a few settings, and then start browsing.
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Make sure your VPN service is activated
The first thing to check is the VPN connection itself. To do this, open the dedicated app; you should usually find a green indicator showing that the app is connected.
Check if your public IP address has changed. One of the main goals of these privacy services is to hide your IP address. Therefore, you can always check your original IP address and the one assigned to you after activating a VPN, for example, using this online service. If they are different, everything is working correctly.
Check your current geographic location. Generally, when setting up this type of network, a server in another country is selected. This allows the websites you visit to recognize that you are located in that country. To ensure everything is working correctly, you can, for example, use a geo-restricted streaming service, which allows you to watch blocked movies and TV series.
Perform a WebRTC leak test
You should also be aware that when using some of the most popular browsers, such as Chrome and Firefox, WebRTC data leaks may occur, revealing your real IP address. We can perform this test, for example, through this link.
Check for real-time data traffic encryption. One of the main goals of VPNs is to encrypt internet traffic. Therefore, you should check for real-time data traffic encryption by examining the connection status through the client software. This will show whether encryption is enabled and what method is being used to encrypt outgoing data.
Ensure that data traffic passes through the tunnel.
Another important step to verify that the platform is working correctly is ensuring that data traffic is passing through the correct tunnel. For example, in Windows, the tracert command can be used to directly identify the network connection paths. The first path should be the VPN gateway.