Why WebRTC can show multiple network addresses

Your VPN is on, but a browser test shows more than one network address. That can look like a leak, but several addresses may appear for ordinary reasons. WebRTC checks possible routes between devices, and your computer may have more than one network connection.

Use the VPN Leak Test to check whether your real public address or IPv6 address is visible while the VPN is connected. The key is to tell a normal local or VPN address apart from an address that identifies your internet connection.

Check WebRTC while your VPN is on

1. Connect to your VPN and leave it on for the whole test. If the VPN app has a split tunneling setting, make sure your browser is not excluded from the VPN.
2. Open the VPN Leak Test in the browser you normally use. Review the results for IPv4, IPv6, and WebRTC addresses.
3. Note whether the visible public address matches the VPN connection or appears to belong to your regular internet provider. If your VPN app shows an exit address, compare the results with it.
4. If the result is unclear, repeat the check in another browser with the VPN still connected. A different result can point to a browser setting, extension, or VPN configuration rather than a fault with your router.

The test checks network address exposure. It is not a test of camera or microphone access, and it does not tell you whether every website is safe or private.

What the addresses mean

A private address from your local network

An address such as 192.168.1.20 or 10.0.0.8 is usually a local network address assigned by your router. It is not your public internet address and cannot normally be used by a website to connect to your computer across the internet. Some browsers conceal these local addresses by showing a generated name instead.

A local address in a report does not by itself prove that your VPN failed. For more about the terms that appear in these reports, see what a WebRTC candidate means in a leak report.

A public address that belongs to your VPN

WebRTC may discover the public-facing address used for a connection. If that address is the VPN's exit address, seeing it is generally expected. A VPN can also use more than one address for its services or connections, so multiple public addresses do not automatically mean that your home address is exposed.

Your regular public IPv4 address appears

If the report shows the public address assigned by your internet provider while the VPN is on, the browser may be reaching the internet outside the VPN, or the VPN may not be handling WebRTC traffic as expected. Confirm that the browser is covered by the VPN before treating the result as a confirmed leak.

An IPv6 address appears

IPv6 is a newer type of internet address. Your connection may use IPv6 even if you are accustomed to seeing IPv4 addresses. If an IPv6 address associated with your normal provider appears while the VPN is on, check whether the VPN supports IPv6 or has a setting to block IPv6 traffic. An IPv6 address belonging to the VPN is not the same as an address belonging to your provider.

Several addresses appear, but none is clearly your home address

Your device may have Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a virtual network adapter, or a VPN adapter active at the same time. WebRTC can gather several possible network routes. The number of entries alone does not show that your real address is exposed. Look at which addresses are public and who they belong to.

What to do if your real address appears

1. Check that the VPN covers your browser. Some VPN products protect only selected apps or only browser traffic. Review the VPN app's split tunneling and connection settings. For a built-in connection, Windows 11 has Settings › Network & internet › VPN. On macOS, check System Settings › VPN. A third-party VPN usually has its own controls.
2. Check the VPN's WebRTC and IPv6 protection. Look in the VPN app or its official help for controls related to WebRTC leaks, IPv6, or leak protection. Names and availability vary by provider. If the service does not route IPv6 through the VPN, use its recommended protection rather than changing network settings at random.
3. Review split tunneling and browser extensions. Remove the browser from any VPN exclusion list, then temporarily disable extensions that change proxy or network behavior and test again. Change one setting at a time so you can identify what affected the result.
4. Reconnect to the VPN. Disconnect and reconnect, then run the check again. A brief connection change can leave traffic using a route that differs from the one you expect.
5. Ask the VPN provider to interpret the result. Share the type of address shown and whether it is IPv4 or IPv6. Avoid posting your full public IP address in a public forum.

Do not disable IPv6 across your whole computer as a first response. That can interfere with other network services, and it may not fix the VPN configuration. Follow your VPN provider's instructions if it recommends a system-level change.

Why WebRTC can find several routes

WebRTC is a set of browser technologies that helps devices make direct audio, video, and data connections. To find a working route, it gathers network candidates. A candidate can describe a local interface, a public address discovered through a network service, or a relay route. These are different possible paths, not necessarily several addresses that a website can use to identify you.

Browsers have added privacy protections that can hide local network addresses, and the details vary by browser and configuration. A page may also gather network candidates without asking for camera or microphone permission, so the absence of a permission prompt does not prove that WebRTC is inactive.

WebRTC results are separate from DNS checks. A VPN Leak Test can flag exposed IPv6 or WebRTC addresses, but a WebRTC entry alone does not prove that your browsing activity or local files are visible.