How do we detect it?
We look at the provider (ISP) behind your IP. If it belongs to a normal residential ISP (Comcast, AT&T, Telmex…), you're most likely not using a VPN. If it belongs to a hosting or datacenter service (AWS, OVH, DigitalOcean…), it's a sign your traffic might be going through a VPN, proxy or server.
Note: this is an estimate, not a certainty. Some VPNs use IPs hard to tell apart from a normal ISP, and certain business connections exit via datacenter without being a VPN.
Why does it matter?
- Confirm your VPN is actually active and hiding your real IP.
- Understand why some sites show you content from another country.
- Diagnose why a service blocks you (some block VPN IPs).