IP LensEstablish a baseline first
Note the browser, network and VPN state you intend to examine. Check your current public IP and, where relevant, both address families. The IPv4 and IPv6 guide explains why a single observed address is not necessarily your only exit.
Keep comparison conditions stable. A result gathered on mobile data cannot be compared directly with one from work Wi-Fi and attributed only to a browser setting. Change one factor at a time and record when each check ran. A screenshot without that context is not a complete diagnosis.
Gather candidates without requesting camera access
- Open the WebRTC check and start it.
- Wait for gathering to finish. The current implementation allows up to about seven seconds before closing its temporary connection.
- Review each candidate's address, type and protocol.
- Compare visible public addresses with your baseline, keeping IPv4 and IPv6 separate.
The tool creates a temporary peer connection with a data channel and Google's STUN service. It does not request camera or microphone access or place a media call. STUN communication is a network request, so this check is not entirely offline. No TURN relay is configured for this test.
Read the type before judging the address
A host candidate comes from an interface available to the browser. Depending on browser behavior, you may see an address or a hostname that hides the local address. A srflx candidate is a server-reflexive address learned through STUN, useful when comparing an observed exit. In a setup with TURN, a relay candidate would describe a relay; IP Lens does not configure one.
A private address or obscured hostname is not automatically another public exit. A public address different from your baseline deserves investigation, but that difference alone does not explain the route or browser policy. Record the candidate type alongside the address.
An empty list is inconclusive. Browser privacy behavior, unsupported APIs, network restrictions or an unreachable STUN service can affect gathering. It cannot prove that every website, protocol and application is unable to reveal another address.
Understand the local browser summary
Open the browser information tool and run its separate check. It reads properties including language, timezone, screen dimensions, pixel ratio, reported platform and selected hardware hints. Availability differs across browsers; an unknown value is not a privacy failure.
Where supported, IP Lens hashes the collected object using SHA-256 and shows a shortened local identifier. This collection and calculation happen in your browser. The value is not compared with a population of users, so it provides no measured uniqueness or tracking probability.
A changed property can change the identifier, while different environments can report the same properties. The digest is neither a durable identity nor proof of automation. An automation flag or cookie setting is one property, not a security verdict.
Investigate differences and share only necessary detail
- Repeat once under the same conditions to see whether the observation persists.
- Identify whether the unexpected item is a public IP, a local address or an obscured hostname.
- When testing a VPN, consult its documented browser and IPv6 behavior. A browser proxy and a system tunnel may cover different traffic.
- If the result is blocked or empty, keep it unknown. Do not disable managed security controls simply to obtain an answer.
- For support, share the symptom, browser version and candidate type first. Add address detail only when the trusted recipient needs it.
Interface masking does not redact exports. Downloaded JSON can contain full addresses and browser properties collected during the session. Inspect it and remove unnecessary information before sending. The useful outcome is a documented observation with clear limits, not a promise that all activity is anonymous.
Sources and further reading
See MDN's documentation for RTCIceCandidate, candidate types, and candidate addresses and privacy implications. Collection steps and reporting limits above describe IP Lens's implementation.