How to do a DNS leak test?

Every time you go online, you risk becoming a victim of data snooping. Today, information is more valuable than money. Hackers may sell stolen facts about users to third parties who later run spam campaigns or even blackmail the victims. This article explains how to perform a DNS leak test.

Why is encrypting your online activities important?

The mere fact of visiting a website or using any online service can cause many potential problems. This is why you might be interested in making your connection anonymous and safe by using various tools like VPNs, proxies, encrypted browsers, and many others. But how do you make sure that you are actually safe? This is when a DNS leak test comes in handy.

When using the programs that help you to keep your traffic private, you should make sure that they work properly. A boat with a hole in the bottom won’t be sailing the sea for too long – if the program has a bug in it, it can still disclose information (such as DNS). This means that you will no longer be anonymous and the servers you visit would gather all your personal data. Not exactly the best situation to find yourself in, is it?

When using a VPN or Proxy, watch out for technical issues. If you have some security flaws or data leaks, using those programs would be pointless. Such things can happen quite easily when utilizing free programs that don’t provide satisfactory means of security. Sometimes they have technical problems or are specifically used to collect the data of the unconscious user.

Luckily, there is a wide run of possibilities to test spills of your DNS. For example, use one of the tools that you can find online – usually they cost you nothing and are very simple to use. This test tells you what your DNS is and its location. Have you ever dreamt of visiting the Philippines, but never had a possibility? Now, you can make everyone think that this is where you are, by simply using VPN simulating that you are there. 

How to perform a DNS leak test?

To do a DNS leak test, you have several options. The first one is a standard test that only tells you your DNS information, while the second one is an extended test – definitely more precise, but takes more time to perform. On the Internet, you’ll find tests that are completely free and easy to use. For example, you can use websites like  DNSLeakTest, IPLeak, or DNSLeak. They analyze your IP and DNS and scan for any DNS leaks.  

Another good choice is the Perfect Privacy page. The purpose is very similar to the previously mentioned sites, however, this Swiss program is not free (the cost is between 9-$13 per month). The main advantage of this app is a choice of multi-hop VPN chains up to 4 servers that you configure yourself. It also gives an unlimited number of connections, detects DNS leaks, displays the IP address, and performs a WebRTC test. With Perfect Privacy, you can check if everything works properly, so you can stay anonymous when using a VPN.

Can you be identified when using a VPN?

One of the most common concerns is whether your web traffic and IP address can still be tracked while using a VPN. 

The answer is “No”.

The VPN scrambles your information and covers up your IP address by directing your web requests through a VPN server. If someone tries to steal your data, they will see only the IP address of the VPN server and some gobbledygook.

However…

This only works when using a high-quality VPN, for example, a TuxlerVPN. It uses Residential IPs that can never be traced, giving you 100% anonymity.

How to prevent VPN leaks?

1. Change the DNS server to a trusted and autonomous one.
2. To prevent non-VPN traffic, use a firewall or your VPN.
3. Run DNS leak tests on a regular basis.
4. Adopt “surveillance” software for VPNs.
5. If needed, replace your VPN.

As you can see, there are multiple ways to perform a DNS leak test. Now you should know how to check if the sites you visit can record your IP address or DNS. Test your DNS leaks to make sure that your VPN works well and if not, change it to one that works.

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