Help Centre

Why does my DNS test show an unexpected provider?

Investigate an unfamiliar resolver without assuming a leak. Check browser DNS settings, compare results and prepare a useful support report.

2 min readSources checked Our editorial policy

An unfamiliar DNS provider in a test is a reason to check your settings, not an automatic leak verdict. The test observes the resolver that asks for its test domains. That can be your internet provider, a public DNS service, a browser-selected resolver or a service used by your VPN.

Repeat the same test in a controlled order

Keep the browser and Wi-Fi or mobile network unchanged. Run the test before connecting your VPN, save the resolver names privately, then connect in the app and run it again. Do this only where you can safely disconnect the VPN. Avoid disconnecting a managed work connection.

If the operator changes to one documented by the VPN provider, that is consistent with the intended DNS route. If the same operator remains, check whether you deliberately configured it. A matching operator alone does not tell you how requests travelled to it.

Check the browser before changing the network

Look for Secure DNS or DNS over HTTPS in your browser settings. A manually selected provider can explain an unexpected name. Also check extensions that manage proxies or browsing privacy. Record the setting before changing it so you can restore it.

Next, review device-level DNS and any VPN options for custom DNS or excluded applications. Do not assume Zenshield offers a particular setting: use the controls actually present in your app version or ask support. Leave workplace-managed settings to your administrator.

If the test returns nothing

Empty results can follow blocked test requests, network filtering or a measurement-service failure. Try the service again and compare with another reputable test. Do not treat an empty table as “no leaks.”

Zenshield’s DNS test page links to a working external service while its own measurement backend is pending. Its availability message is not a result about your connection.

What to send support

Include the test name, approximate time, browser and app versions, the resolver operator you expected, the one you observed, and whether browser Secure DNS was enabled. State which result changed when the VPN connected. Remove unrelated personal information from screenshots. Use contact support if you need help interpreting the result.

Sources

Check the linked sources for current details. If you spot an error, let us know which statement needs a correction.

1. www.cloudflare.com/learning/dns/what-is-dns/2. www.dnsleaktest.com/Read this page as MarkdownSuggest a correction

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