Is My VPN Working?

A VPN works when the internet sees its address instead of yours. The Netutilus item in the menu bar watches this all the time.

1. Look at the menu bar

Click the Netutilus item in the menu bar. With the VPN on, it shows VPN · on, and the public IP and country are the VPN’s exit, not your home’s. If the country hasn’t changed, the VPN isn’t carrying your traffic.

2. Confirm it in GeoIP

Open GeoIP and click My IP. The provider should be the VPN’s, and the location the server you picked. See IP addresses.

3. Read the leak warnings

The menu bar warns about two kinds of leak:

• “Tunnel is up but you are still visible as…”: the VPN is connected, but your traffic still leaves with your own address. Reconnect, or pick another server.
• “IPv6 leaks: visible as…”: the VPN carries IPv4 only, and IPv6 traffic goes around it with your real address. Turn on IPv6 protection in the VPN app, or turn IPv6 off while you use it.

Split-tunnel VPNs, such as Tailscale and most company VPNs, send ordinary traffic outside the tunnel by design. Netutilus doesn’t call that a leak.

4. Get notified

In Settings › Menu Bar, turn on Notify when the VPN connects or drops, and Notify when the public IP changes if you want both. A dropped VPN is then announced with the address you’re visible as now. The menu bar’s Recent changes keeps a log of every switch.

Tip: Run Internet Check with the VPN on and off. If the internet stop is much slower through the tunnel, a closer VPN server may help.

Related

• GeoIP.
• Permissions & Privacy, for what the menu bar’s lookups send.