The quick answer
An unchanged IP does not, by itself, prove your VPN failed. You may be comparing a local address, a result saved after connecting, or traffic that follows a different route. A repeated VPN exit is another possibility. Compare a fresh public IPv4 check with a saved result from before connecting, then follow the checks below.
1. Compare the right address, before and after
The address in your Wi-Fi settings can be a private address used inside your network. It is different from the public address visible to an internet service. For example, 192.168.1.20 belongs to a private range; its staying the same does not settle this question. IANA lists the private IPv4 ranges.
- On a connection where you can disconnect the VPN, open What is my IP? with the VPN off.
- Select Check again, wait for a successful result, then select Save as before.
- Connect your VPN and wait until its app reports a completed connection.
- Return to the same tab and select Check again. Compare the complete IPv4 addresses.
Saving a result while already connected does not create a VPN-off baseline. Keep your Wi-Fi or mobile connection the same during the comparison. If a managed connection prevents disconnecting, ask its administrator for a supported test instead.
2. Check whether this traffic goes through the VPN
A VPN can connect successfully while only carrying selected traffic. OpenVPN’s full and split tunneling documentation describes configurations where private-network traffic uses the tunnel while other internet traffic uses the local connection. That can be intentional for a workplace VPN.
In your app, review settings named split tunneling, excluded apps or included apps. Confirm that the browser you are testing is included in the connection you want to check. If someone manages the VPN, ask which websites or traffic it is intended to route.
Our tool reports the public IPv4 used for its lookup request. With selective routing, another website can follow a different path. A matching result on this page therefore does not diagnose every app; a changed result does not prove that all traffic follows the VPN.
3. Check the browser’s own connection settings
A browser may also have a proxy configuration. Firefox, for example, can use system settings, a manual proxy, automatic configuration or exceptions for particular destinations. Its connection dialog can show extensions controlling the connection. Mozilla explains these settings.
Confirm which browser profile and proxy configuration you are using. If a VPN extension or configured proxy is meant to handle browsing, check its connection status as well as the desktop app. Follow the provider’s setup instructions before changing a combination of both.
Running the same fresh IPv4 check in another browser can help isolate a browser-specific difference. Record the result; do not remove a required workplace proxy or turn off security controls just to make the numbers change.
4. Compare IPv4 with IPv4
Two checkers may display different address families. IPv4 uses four groups of decimal numbers separated by dots; IPv6 normally includes colons. An IPv6 result from another service is not the same measurement as this tool’s IPv4 result.
IPv6 handling depends on the VPN client, server and configuration. Proton’s support documentation, for example, describes separate requirements for IPv6 support and leak protection. Check your own provider’s current instructions for your device.
VPN Observer’s checker intentionally tests IPv4. It does not test IPv6, DNS or WebRTC leaks. If your concern is broader privacy coverage, use your provider’s recommended diagnostic tests as well. Keep its leak protection enabled while investigating.
5. Distinguish your normal address from a repeated VPN exit
Compare against your VPN-off baseline, not just your previous VPN session. Reconnecting does not promise a never-before-used address. NordVPN describes server IP pools and its dedicated-IP option, illustrating why address behavior depends on the service.
If the current address differs from the VPN-off baseline but matches your last connected session, that is a repeated exit, not the same finding as seeing your baseline again. A dedicated or static service may intentionally retain an address. Check your plan before expecting rotation.
If you need a different location, select an appropriate supported server and repeat the check. An address can change while its estimated country stays the same.
6. Escalate with a useful comparison
If a fresh IPv4 check still matches your VPN-off baseline when your provider says browsing should use a different exit, contact its support team. Include your device, operating system, VPN app version, selected location, test time and whether the problem happens in more than one browser. Send addresses privately if support needs them.
If the tool says Unavailable, you do not have a successful new result to compare. Retry the lookup and report that error separately. Do not interpret an old saved number as a fresh measurement.
Once the route is understood, use our US residential IP setup guide if that is the connection you need. A US country result alone cannot establish residential status; see what a residential IP means.
Quick questions
Does an unchanged IP mean my VPN is disconnected?
No. A repeated exit, an unsuitable baseline or selective routing can produce the same number. Compare a fresh public IPv4 result against a result saved before connecting, then check the route your provider intends to use.
Why does my Wi-Fi IP stay the same with a VPN?
Your Wi-Fi settings may show a private local address. That address and the public exit seen by a website serve different purposes. Use a public IP checker for the before-and-after comparison.
Why do two IP-checking websites show different results?
First check whether both display IPv4. If they do, differences in destination routing or browser proxy settings are possibilities to investigate. Record fresh results and the browser used; the numbers alone do not identify the cause.
Does a changed US IPv4 prove that I have a residential IP?
No. An address change and a US country estimate do not classify the connection as residential. Review the service’s description and the network evidence in our residential IP checking guide.
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