What does it mean if I see only 192.168.x.x in the WebRTC test?

A 192.168.x.x is a private local network IP — seeing only this is good: your public internet IP is not exposed. Local IP leaks are lower severity than public IP leaks.

WebRTC Privacy Test

Test your browser's WebRTC privacy — check whether WebRTC is exposing your IP addresses and determine if you need to disable WebRTC or use a leak-protection VPN extension.

Why WebRTC Leaks Matter for Privacy

Browser privacy depends on properly configured WebRTC settings — a privacy-focused browser configuration should not leak real IP via WebRTC API
VPN users are most vulnerable: WebRTC leaks are specifically problematic for VPN users — it bypasses the VPN tunnel entirely, exposing the IP address the VPN is supposed to hide.
Any website can trigger WebRTC: JavaScript on any webpage can initiate WebRTC requests — no user action required, no visible indication that it's happening.
Two types of IP exposed: Public IP (your ISP-assigned internet IP) is the critical leak; local IP (192.168.x.x router IP) is lower severity but still reveals network topology.
Affects all major browsers: Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Safari all implement WebRTC — the leak risk exists across all desktop browsers by default.

Run Check

How to Run the WebRTC Leak Test

Check your baseline (VPN off): First run the test without a VPN — note the IP addresses shown. These are your real public IP and local network IP.
Connect your VPN: Enable your VPN and connect to any server. Your VPN claims to hide your real IP — now test if it actually does.
Run the test again with VPN on: The test queries WebRTC ICE candidates to discover all IPs your browser exposes.
Interpret results: If WebRTC shows only your VPN's IP address → no leak. If it shows your real ISP IP (from step 1) → you have a WebRTC leak.
Fix or mitigate: If leaked, use a WebRTC-leak-preventing VPN, install a browser extension (uBlock Origin blocks WebRTC requests), or disable WebRTC in browser settings.

Real-World Use Case

A privacy-conscious developer tests their hardened browser configuration to verify Firefox's WebRTC settings correctly prevent IP exposure in their threat model Running the WebRTC leak test takes 10 seconds and provides definitive proof — the IP addresses shown with VPN connected should only be the VPN server's IP, not the user's real ISP-assigned IP. Identifying and fixing a WebRTC leak closes one of the most common VPN bypass techniques used by websites to de-anonymize users who believe their VPN protects them completely.

Best Practices

Firefox users can set media.peerconnection.enabled to false in about:config to completely disable WebRTC — Chrome requires an extension for the same effect
Choose VPNs with WebRTC leak protection: Reputable VPN providers (Mullvad, ProtonVPN, ExpressVPN) include WebRTC leak prevention — check your provider's leak protection features.
Install uBlock Origin: uBlock Origin with "Prevent WebRTC from leaking local IP addresses" setting enabled blocks WebRTC IP discovery requests in Chrome and Firefox.
Test after browser updates: Browser updates can reset WebRTC settings — re-test after every major browser version update to confirm protection remains active.
Test on all devices: WebRTC leak status varies per device and browser — test Chrome, Firefox, and Edge separately as each has different WebRTC behavior.

Performance & Limits

Test duration: WebRTC ICE candidate discovery completes in 2–5 seconds — results appear within 5 seconds of page load.
What is detected: Public IPv4, public IPv6, local network IPv4 (192.168.x.x), and any additional IPs bound to network interfaces.
What is not detected: DNS leaks (separate test needed), browser fingerprinting data, or cookie-based tracking.
Browser compatibility: Works in Chrome, Firefox, Edge, Safari, and Brave — any browser that implements WebRTC API.
VPN detection: The test itself doesn't detect VPN use — it reports IP addresses and you compare them to your known real IP to determine if a leak exists.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Not testing without VPN first: You need to know your real IP before testing with VPN — without the baseline, you can't identify what constitutes a "leak."
Ignoring IPv6 leaks: Even if IPv4 is protected, an IPv6 address leak can deanonymize you — test both protocol results.
Assuming mobile VPN apps prevent WebRTC leaks: Mobile browsers (Chrome on Android, Safari on iOS) handle WebRTC differently — test mobile browsers separately from desktop.
Not retesting after browser updates: Chrome and Firefox updates occasionally reset or modify WebRTC settings — always retest after major browser updates.
Confusing local and public IP leaks: A local IP leak (192.168.x.x) reveals your home network topology; a public IP leak reveals your actual internet identity — the latter is far more serious.

Privacy & Security

Read-only diagnostic: The WebRTC test reads IP addresses your browser already exposes — it doesn't access any additional information or modify browser settings.
No IP stored: IP addresses discovered during the test are displayed to you and not transmitted to or stored on any server.
No browser access: The test uses the WebRTC API in the same way any website could — it doesn't have elevated browser permissions.
Test safely: Running a WebRTC leak test itself doesn't create any privacy risk — it only surfaces what your browser already exposes to all websites.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is WebRTC and why does it cause IP leaks?

WebRTC (Web Real-Time Communication) is a browser API that enables peer-to-peer audio, video, and data communication directly between browsers — used for video calls (Google Meet, Discord), file sharing, and gaming. To establish these direct connections, WebRTC uses a process called ICE (Interactive Connectivity Establishment) that discovers all available network paths, including querying STUN servers to find the browser's public IP. This IP discovery happens at the network level, below the VPN tunnel — so even when all your traffic is routed through a VPN, WebRTC's STUN queries may bypass the VPN and reveal your real public IP. This is a design feature of WebRTC (to find the most efficient direct connection) that becomes a privacy bug when VPN users expect their IP to be hidden.

How do I disable WebRTC to prevent leaks?

Method by browser: Firefox (most effective): go to about:config, search for "media.peerconnection.enabled", set to false — completely disables WebRTC (may break video calling sites). Chrome (no native setting): install uBlock Origin → open settings → enable "Prevent WebRTC from leaking local IP addresses" — limits leak; OR install "WebRTC Leak Prevent" extension. Brave: Settings → Privacy and security → WebRTC IP Handling Policy → select "Disable non-proxied UDP" for strongest protection. Safari: does not expose local IP via WebRTC by default — generally less vulnerable. Edge: same as Chrome, use uBlock Origin. Note: completely disabling WebRTC breaks video conferencing tools — choose WebRTC leak prevention extensions that protect without disabling entirely if you use video calls.

What does it mean if I see only 192.168.x.x addresses in the WebRTC test?

A 192.168.x.x address is a private/local network IP assigned by your router — this is your device's address within your home network, not your internet-facing public IP. Seeing only local IP addresses in the WebRTC test is a good sign: it means your public IP is not being exposed through WebRTC. However, even local IP leaks can provide some information to sophisticated adversaries: the IP reveals that you're on a home network (vs corporate), can indicate approximately how many devices are on your network, and is used in some browser fingerprinting techniques. For most privacy concerns, a public IP leak is the critical issue; local IP-only leaks are lower priority unless you're in a high-threat environment where even network topology is sensitive.

Which VPNs prevent WebRTC leaks?

VPNs that actively route WebRTC traffic through the VPN tunnel prevent leaks: Mullvad VPN: explicitly routes WebRTC through the VPN and offers browser extensions; ProtonVPN: includes WebRTC leak prevention and browser extension; ExpressVPN: routes WebRTC properly and provides browser extension; NordVPN: routes WebRTC but browser extension recommended for additional protection. VPN services that do NOT prevent WebRTC leaks by default: many budget VPNs and older VPN services route only standard TCP/UDP traffic, leaving WebRTC exposed. The browser extension approach (like Mullvad's or ExpressVPN's browser extension) is often more reliable than VPN-level WebRTC routing. Always verify protection using the WebRTC leak test after connecting — no VPN should be trusted without testing.