DNS Leak vs IP Leak: What Is the Difference?
Understand how DNS leaks and IP leaks expose different privacy signals, and how to test VPN or proxy protection.
What an IP leak exposes
An IP leak happens when a website sees your real public IP instead of the VPN, proxy, or protected network address you expected.
If your real IP appears, websites can often estimate your country, region, ISP, and connection type.
What a DNS leak exposes
A DNS leak happens when domain lookups go outside the protected tunnel. The website may see the VPN IP, while DNS resolvers still reveal browsing intent to another network path.
DNS leaks are not the same as IP leaks, but both can weaken privacy expectations.
How to test both
Check your public IP before and after connecting to a VPN. Then test DNS resolver behavior and confirm that DNS requests follow the expected provider or tunnel.
Use Crafzo IP Lookup to confirm the visible public IP, then use a DNS leak test for resolver visibility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can my IP be hidden while DNS still leaks?
Yes. A VPN may mask your public IP while DNS queries still go to an unexpected resolver.
Does private DNS hide my public IP?
No. Private or encrypted DNS protects DNS queries, but it does not automatically hide your public IP from websites.
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Use the free Crafzo IP Lookup tool to check IP location, risk score, and AI-powered IP health.
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