Thats why you better find and fix it as soon as possible.
But where do you start?
But while they are a critical part of internet connectivity,DNS servers also carry a huge privacy risk.
This may includeyour ISP, the government, or hackerslooking to take advantage of you.
Will your VPN always keep you safe?
This is whyVirtualPrivateNetworks(VPNs)are increasing in popularity these days.
*Address blurred for privacy purposes
The worst part isyou may not realize any of this until its too late.
Since the VPN service doesnt know theres anything wrong, you cant rely on it to notify you.
This is why taking a proactive approach isveryimportant.
*Address blurred for privacy purposes
Popular ones includeipleak.netanddnsleaktest.com, but feel free to use your favorite if you have one.
To demonstrate the process, we usedipleak.netto check for a DNS leak.
),then you have a DNS leak.
In this case, the returned DNS address matches the one provided by the ISP.
This is not what you want to happen.
Heres the outcome:
Success.
The DNS location shown is the same as the one in the VPN app.
Since my ISPs DNS address and location arent shown, that means there are no leaks.
you’re free to use your computerscommand promptas well but its not as user-friendly.
Then, youll need a test server which will return your current IP address upon request.
Such servers are publicly available and kept specifically for testing purposes.
They often includewhoamiorresolverin their names and can be easily found with a quick Google (orDuckDuckGo) search.
Lastly, youll need basic knowledge on working with your operating systems command prompt.
Below, youll find a walkthrough for Windows we assume Linux users are already familiar with the process.
But where do you start?
TIP:Dont be discouraged!
due to:Constantly switching networks; running a manual VPN setup.
Fixed by:Using DNS servers provided by your VPN (if available); using independent DNS servers.
Well tell you how below.
Many users have several networks they hop between on a daily basis.
He also likes to take breaks in the park nearby, and occasionally connects to the public wi-fi there.
Unless you configure your connection in a way where you avoid ISP-assigned DNS servers.
For more info on how to make this happen, see sectionTips for Avoiding DNS Leaksfurther below.
Once you manage that, the leak should be contained, unless theres another issue…
2. sparked by:Your ISP.
Fixed by:Modifying OpenVPN config files.
For this one, were going to assume youre running the OpenVPN client on Windows.
For more info on OpenVPN and why you should use it by default, check outour VPN protocol comparison.
But how does this relate to DNS leaks?
Fortunately, theres an easy fix.
Youll need to track down your OpenVPN server configuration files(the default path isC:\Program Files\OpenVPN\config).
Theres one for each configuration youve made look for the.ovpn extension.
For more info on that, we recommend consulting with your VPN providers support department.
It makes it very easy for DNS leaks to appear.
due to:Uncontrollable DNS requests sent to multiple DNS servers, thanks to SMHNR.
Fixed by:Disabling SMHNR on Windows 8/8.1; OpenVPN plugin on Windows 10.
Smart Multi-Homed Name Resolution isnt just a pain to pronounce.
This feature is also such a big security risk, theUnitedStatesComputerEmergencyReadinessTeam (US-CERT) releasedan alertabout it in 2015.
This same feature is now baked into Windows 10 after making its debut on Windows 8.
Needless to say, it createsmany problems for VPN users running the Microsoft OS.
Heres why: SMHNR is the ultimate shortcut for DNS leaks.
Its purpose is to enhance browsing speeds by sending DNS requests in bulk toallcurrently available DNS servers.
This obviously results in a glaring privacy risk,but theres more.
This opens you up not only to the threat of DNS leaks, but DNS spoofing as well.
In short, youll want to get rid of SMHNR as soon as possible.
Sadly, this feature is impossible to disable on Windows 10.
For the best results, we recommend installing the above-mentioned plugin as well.
because of:Teredo overriding your VPN connection in certain cases.
Fixed by:Disabling Teredo.
Unfortunately, Teredo is also a tunneling protocol.
This translates to bad news for VPN users, asTeredo tunneling can sometimes bypass your VPN tunnel.
It doesnt happen too often, but when it does, the result is a DNS leak.
Well show you how to do that below.
IMPORTANT: Disabling Teredo requires running the elevated command prompt.
In other words, you will need administrative privileges.
Turning Teredo off has its pros and cons.
Still, its worthwhile to disable this feature if its behind your DNS leak issue.
It always feels good to fix a problem especially when its a serious security flaw like DNS leaks.
But you know whats even better than repairing them?Making sure they dont happen in the first place.
This is the ideal way toprevent annoying DNS leaks.
Below, well show you how to set your preferred DNS servers on Windows.
Well use Google Public DNS for this tutorial, but youre free to use any DNS server you want.
There are two ways to do this.
First, check your VPNs features.
Look forkill switch or split tunneling parameters.
Another way to limit traffic exclusively through your VPN is bysetting up your Windows firewall.
You dont lose anything, so go ahead and run a test every now and then.
That said, there are other categories of VPN leaks you should know about.
Below, well briefly discuss them and offer ways to diagnose and repair them.
brought on by:VPN connection drops; server issues.
Fixed by:Enabling kill switch controls; blocking non-VPN traffic with a firewall; contacting support.
Diagnosing an IP leak is almost identical to the DNS leak check process.
This could be a broken VPN connection, or a problem with a specific server.
Your first move here should be switching servers.
you’re free to also achieve this by following the traffic blocking guide via your firewall above.
If your VPN ultimately cant establish a connection, you wont have internet access.
In this situation,youll need to contact supportto get more info on your issue.
resulting from:Poor IPv6 configs on your VPN.
Fixed by:Getting a VPN service that has full IPv6 support.
But what even is IPv6?
Heres a quick explanation.
Most IP addresses are still under the old IPv4 version, which youre probably aware of.
In other words, they are a string of up to 12 digits (e.g.
Since weve started running out of available combinations, IPv6 was created.
An IPv6 address looks radically different compared to an IPv4 address.
For example, 2001:db8:22aa:33bb:44cc:55dd:66ee:77ff.
So whats the problem?
Theres a big chunk of websites that still support IPv4 only, and some are exclusively IPv6.
Then, theres the majority in the middle, which supports both versions.
If it doesnt, there simply isnt much you could do without running into new problems.
triggered by:The WebRTC protocol in your net surf tool.
Fixed by:Disabling the WebRTC protocol.
WebRTC (short for Web Real-Time Communication) leaks often catch VPN users by surprise.
Before you do anything, run a leak test just to be sure theres a problem.
There are two things you should look for here your public and local IP addresses.
If the WebRTC test shows your local IP address, you dont have to worry.
Below, well show you how to do it on some of the most popular browsers.
However, our ultimate hope is that you encounter such problems infrequently.
With the appropriate VPN at your disposal, you should be able to minimize these concerns effectively.
Before we wrap this up, wed like to give you one last piece of advice.
keeping logs of your data.
VPN leaks are almost always technical in nature, but data retention by your VPN is often a choice.
Which makes it much worse.
The list is regularly updated, so keep checking back for more great offers!
Further Reading:
The Best VPNs for Security
VPN Protocol Comparison
Tor vs VPN: Which Is More Secure?
What is a Kill Switch and Why Do You Need One?
Your data is exposed to the websites you visit!
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