DNS Leak Protection – IPVanish VPN
Seal your digital footprint with IPVanish DNS Leak Protection
DNS Leak Protection: What is DNS?
What Does DNS Mean?
DNS stands for the Domain Name System. It’s an essential part of the internet, but many of us never think about it. Imagine the internet as a vast city. Every website—including your favorite news site, social media, or online store—is like a building in this city. Just as each building in a physical city has a street address, every website on the internet has a unique address, called an IP address. However, IP addresses are long strings of numbers, like 192.168.1.1, which are difficult to remember. This is where DNS comes into play.
DNS acts like a city’s directory assistance. When you type a website name (like “www.ipvanish.com”) into your browser, it’s the DNS that helps your browser find the right ‘building’ or website. It translates the easy-to-remember website names into their corresponding IP addresses, the real ‘addresses’ of websites on the internet. Without DNS, you’d have to remember and enter the numerical IP address of every website you wanted to visit, which isn’t practical.
What is a DNS Leak?
A DNS leak may sound a bit technical, but it’s a fairly straightforward concept. When you use the internet, your computer constantly asks DNS servers for IP addresses to access websites. Usually, these DNS queries are sent to servers controlled by your Internet Service Provider (ISP).
However, when you use a VPN, you expect all your internet traffic, including DNS queries, to go through the VPN’s encrypted tunnel. This keeps your online activities more private.
A DNS leak occurs when, despite being connected to a VPN, your DNS queries escape the encrypted tunnel and are sent to your ISP’s DNS servers. This is a problem because it means your ISP can see what websites you’re visiting, defeating the purpose of using a VPN for increased privacy. Fortunately, DNS leaks can be prevented with the help of IPVanish leak protection.
Why Do DNS Leaks Happen?
Understanding why DNS leaks occur is crucial for preventing them. There are several common reasons DNS leaks happen, such as:
Misconfigured
Network Settings
One of the simplest yet most common reasons for a DNS leak is misconfigured network settings. Sometimes, software updates or manual changes to your device’s network settings can mistakenly point your device to use the wrong DNS servers — the ones that don’t help protect your privacy.
VPN or Proxy
Services
Not all VPNs are created equal. Some might have their own DNS settings misconfigured or rely on DNS servers from a third-party network. This is often the case with free VPNs, for example. When this happens, even though you’re connected to a VPN, your DNS requests might not be fully protected.
Malware
Malware, malicious software designed to harm or exploit any programmable device, network, or service, can also lead to DNS leaks. Malware can hijack your device’s DNS settings, redirecting all your DNS queries to servers controlled by cybercriminals. This means that while you think you’re safely browsing the internet, someone nefarious may be tracking every site you visit.
DNS Spoofing
DNS spoofing is a more sinister reason behind DNS leaks. It involves an attacker intercepting your DNS queries and providing false responses. This is a form of cyberattack where the attacker can redirect you to fraudulent websites without your knowledge.
Third-Party Applications
Sometimes, the apps or services you install on your device can be the culprits for DNS leaks. Certain applications can alter DNS settings or intercept DNS queries, leading to leaks. This could happen without any malicious intent, but the result is the same: your online activities might not be as private as you think.
ISP DNS Redirection
Lastly, some Internet Service Providers (ISPs) engage in DNS redirection. This means that they redirect your DNS queries through their servers, sometimes as a way to monetize your internet traffic. This practice can bypass your configured DNS server, leading to leaks.
Different Types of DNS Leaks
DNS leaks can occur in several ways, each with unique characteristics. Here’s a closer look at the different types of DNS leaks:
Standard DNS Leak
The standard DNS leak is also the most common type.
This happens when your device continues to use your default DNS server (usually provided by your ISP) even when connected to a VPN. While your other internet traffic is encrypted, your DNS requests are not. Therefore, your ISP and other eavesdroppers can see the websites you’re visiting.
IPv6 DNS Leak
IPv6 is the latest Internet Protocol version, offering more IP addresses than the older IPv4.
However, not all VPNs fully support IPv6, which can lead to an IPv6 DNS leak. In this scenario, when you visit a website using IPv6, your DNS request might bypass the VPN and go directly to an IPv6 DNS server. Fortunately, this DNS leak can be fixed relatively easily by disabling IPv6 when connected to the VPN.
WebRTC Leak
WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a technology that enables direct communication between browsers for activities like video chatting.
However, WebRTC can inadvertently expose your identifiable IP address, even if you’re using a VPN. This is because it’s designed to discover the most efficient network path, which might involve revealing your actual IP address for connectivity purposes.
Other Types of Leaks
Other, less common types of DNS leaks can occur due to specific network configurations, rare software bugs, or unique combinations of hardware and software.
It’s essential to be aware that while these are not as typical, they can still pose a risk to your online privacy.
Router DNS Leak
This type of leak occurs at the router level.
Sometimes, the router is not configured to route DNS requests through the VPN. This can happen with specific router setups or firmware issues.
How to Know if Your DNS is Leaking?
Identifying a DNS leak while using IPVanish VPN is straightforward and doesn’t require technical expertise. Here’s how to perform this essential check:
Run a DNS Leak Test with IPVanish VPN
An online DNS leak test is an effective way to check for leaks while connected to IPVanish. A recommended tool for this is DNSLeakTest.com, which provides a user-friendly way to test whether your DNS queries are secured. Here’s how to run a DNS leak test while using IPVanish:
1
Connect to IPVanish VPN: Ensure that you are connected to IPVanish. To do so, open the IPVanish VPN app on your compatible device.
2
Visit the DNS leak test site: Open a browser and navigate to https://www.dnsleaktest.com/.
3
Perform the test: The site should automatically detect your current IP address. Start with the ‘Standard test’ for a quick assessment. This will reveal the DNS servers that are currently handling your queries.
4
Interpret the results: The results will show which DNS servers your device uses. If the listed DNS servers are not associated with IPVanish VPN, then you might be experiencing a DNS leak. It means your online activity may be visible to your ISP or other entities.
Action Steps if a Leak is Detected
If a DNS leak is detected while using IPVanish VPN, review and adjust the settings within your IPVanish VPN application. If you still have issues, don’t hesitate to contact IPVanish’s customer support for guidance and troubleshooting. We’re always available to help with any difficulties you encounter.
Regularly checking for DNS leaks, especially after any changes to your network or IPVanish VPN settings, is vital to ensure your online activities remain shielded from prying eyes.
How to Prevent DNS Leaks with IPVanish
At IPVanish, ensuring your online activities remain more private and secure is a top priority. That’s why we’ve built IPVanish to help stop DNS leaks, offering DNS leak protection to help maintain the confidentiality of your online activities.
IPVanish DNS Leak Protection
IPVanish provides an integrated solution to prevent DNS leaks. Here’s how it works:
1. Using IPVanish’s own DNS servers: When you connect to the internet via IPVanish VPN, your DNS queries are routed through our DNS servers. By using these servers, we help ensure that your queries are not visible to your ISP or any other third-party observers.
2. Encrypted DNS queries: Of course, IPVanish not only routes your DNS requests through safe channels but also encrypts these queries. This means that even if someone intercepts your DNS queries, they should not be able to decipher what websites you’re trying to visit.
3. Regular updates and maintenance: IPVanish continuously updates our software to address various security threats, including those that could lead to DNS leaks. By keeping the application updated, users benefit from the latest security enhancements.
Other DNS Leak Troubleshooting Tips
While IPVanish VPN provides robust DNS leak protection, you may occasionally experience DNS leaks due to other issues. If this does happen, taking steps to better protect your online privacy is essential. Here are some strategies to prevent DNS leaks:
Disable IPv6
IPVanish operates on IPv4, the most widely used Internet Protocol. However, there’s a newer, less ubiquitous version: IPv6. If your browser sends a DNS request for a website with an IPv6 address, it could bypass the IPVanish network, potentially causing a leak. To resolve this issue, simply disable IPv6 on your device before connecting to IPVanish.
How to disable IPv6:
- On Windows, go to Network and Sharing Center > Change Adapter Settings, right-click your connection, choose Properties, and uncheck the box for ‘Internet Protocol Version 6 (IPv6)‘.
- On macOS, go to System Preferences > Network, select your connection, click Advanced, and deselect the ‘Configure IPv6‘ option.
- On iOS, although you cannot disable IPv6 at the system level, you can configure individual Wi-Fi networks to use IPv4. Go to Settings > Wi-Fi, tap the information icon next to your network, choose ‘Configure IP,’ and switch to ‘Manual’ with IPv4 settings.
- On Android, the ability to disable IPv6 depends on the device and version of Android. Some devices offer the option under Settings > Network & internet > Wi-Fi > Network details > Advanced options. If not available, you might need to adjust your router’s settings.
Clear Your DNS Cache
Devices often store cached DNS information. Sometimes, this data is outdated or incorrect, leading to potential leaks.
How to clear your DNS cache:
- For Windows: Run the command “ipconfig /flushdns” in the Command Prompt.
- For macOS: Use the commands “sudo dscacheutil -flushcache” and “sudo killall -HUP mDNSResponder” in the Terminal.
- For iOS: Go to Settings > General > Reset, and select ‘Reset Network Settings‘. Note that this will also reset Wi-Fi networks and passwords, cellular settings, and VPN and APN settings.
- For Android: Navigate to Settings > System > Advanced > Reset options, and select ‘Reset Wi-Fi, mobile & Bluetooth.’ Be aware that this will remove your saved Wi-Fi networks and their passwords, as well as paired Bluetooth devices.
Update Router Firmware
An outdated router can be a source of DNS leaks. Updating your router’s firmware can ensure it uses the correct DNS settings.
How to update your router firmware:
- Check your router’s manual or online support for specific instructions on updating its firmware.
- Generally, this involves logging into your router’s admin panel and looking for an option to update or upgrade the firmware.
DNS Leak Protection – FAQs
Navigating the complexities of DNS leaks can bring up many questions. Here’s a simple breakdown of some frequently asked questions to help you understand DNS leak protection.