By Sahab · Published August 11, 2026 · Updated October 2026 · 5 min read
A VPN can hide your IP address and still give you away through DNS. That’s the part most reviews skip. So instead of repeating what NordVPN says about itself, I connected to its Atlanta server on my Android phone and ran the test myself.
Quick answer
NordVPN DNS Leak Test Result: no DNS leak. Five DNS servers showed up in my test, and all five belonged to NordVPN or Clouvider, the network behind NordVPN’s Atlanta server. None pointed to my home internet provider. This was one server, one session, so test your own connection too.
My test setup
- Device: my own Android phone
- VPN: NordVPN, USA – Atlanta server
- Protocol: [FILL IN: NordLynx / OpenVPN / other]
- DNS leak test site: [FILL IN: site name]
- Tested from: [FILL IN: e.g. my home connection]
What came back
With NordVPN connected, the test loaded and finished in seconds. My public IP showed as 92.119.19.247, and five DNS servers responded:
| IP address | ISP | Location |
|---|---|---|
| 186.247.180.96 | NordVPN | Atlanta, United States |
| 186.247.180.97 | NordVPN | Atlanta, United States |
| 92.119.18.241 | Clouvider | Atlanta, United States |
| 92.119.19.244 | Clouvider | Atlanta, United States |
| 92.119.19.246 | Clouvider | Atlanta, United States |
Clouvider is the same network I spotted behind NordVPN’s Atlanta server when I speed-tested it. Not one result pointed anywhere near my actual ISP.
What a leak would look like
A DNS leak means at least one of those servers belongs to your real internet provider instead of your VPN. If that happens, your ISP can still see which sites you visit, even though your IP is hidden. In my results every server belonged to NordVPN’s side, so there was nothing like that.
How to run the NordVPN DNS leak test yourself (2 minutes)
- Turn the VPN off.
- Open a DNS leak test site and run it. This is your baseline, and it shows your real ISP’s DNS servers.
- Connect NordVPN to a US server.
- Run the exact same test again.
- Compare. If every server now belongs to NordVPN or its partner network, you’re fine. If even one still shows your home ISP, something is leaking.
A small hiccup before I connected
Before the VPN was even on, the test site wouldn’t load and my phone showed DNS_PROBE_FINISHED_NXDOMAIN (“This site can’t be reached”).
The VPN wasn’t running, so this says nothing about NordVPN. It was most likely my local network. I’m mentioning it because it’s what actually happened.
Why DNS leaks happen even with a good VPN
- A “smart” DNS setting on your device or router routes around the VPN tunnel.
- IPv6 traffic slips through while only IPv4 is tunneled.
- An old custom DNS setting from before you installed the VPN is still active.
- The kill switch or DNS protection got turned off in settings.
If your test shows a leak
Menu names differ between app versions, so look for these in NordVPN’s settings:
- Check that DNS is on the default option, not an old custom DNS.
- Turn on the kill switch.
- Try NordLynx if you’re on another protocol, then test again.
- Close the app, reopen it, reconnect, and rerun the test.
FAQ
Does NordVPN leak DNS? Not in my test. All five DNS servers on the Atlanta server belonged to NordVPN’s network, not my ISP. One session isn’t proof for every device and network, so run it on yours.
How do I check for a DNS leak? Test once with the VPN off, then once with it on. If the DNS servers switch from your ISP to your VPN’s network, you’re covered.
What causes a DNS leak with a VPN on? Usually a smart DNS feature on a router, unprotected IPv6 traffic, an old custom DNS setting, or a kill switch that’s turned off.
Is it normal to see Clouvider in the results? In my test Clouvider appeared alongside NordVPN on the Atlanta server. It was the same network I saw during my speed test of that server.
Real test on my own phone. Results can differ by device, network and server. No affiliate promises here, just what I saw. [FILL IN: add your affiliate disclosure line if you use affiliate links]
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