Two IP-checking websites can inspect the same public IP address and display different cities, network names, or location labels. That does not necessarily mean the VPN connection changed between pages. Most IP-checking services combine the observed address with their own databases, update schedules, and labeling rules.

The IP address is the direct network observation. The city, region, provider, or “type” shown beside it is an interpretation.

An IP address can have several public descriptions

An IP-checking page may show:

These fields do not all come from the same source or have the same accuracy. The IP address observed by the site is usually the most direct result. The descriptive fields are database records or estimates.

Why lookup databases disagree

IP ranges are assigned and routed by network operators, but location databases are maintained by separate companies and services. They may use registration records, routing information, user corrections, network measurements, commercial feeds, or historical data.

One provider may associate a range with the operator’s registered office. Another may estimate the location of network infrastructure. A third may use a broad country-level label because it lacks reliable city data.

Updates do not arrive at the same time. A recently reassigned or newly announced range can show an old city in one database and a new country or operator in another.

Country, city, ISP, and organization fields have different accuracy

Country-level data is often more stable than city-level data, but neither should be treated as a guaranteed physical location. A city result can represent the network’s registration, routing point, or database estimate rather than the exact server or user position.

The “ISP” or “organization” field can also differ. One service may display the company that owns the address range, another the network that announces it, and another a brand or hosting provider.

A label such as hosting or proxy is a classification produced by that service. It is not a universal fact shared by every website.

IPv4 and IPv6 can produce different observations

A device may have both IPv4 and IPv6 connectivity. Different test sites, browsers, or applications may prefer one protocol over the other. If the VPN or local network handles them differently, one page can report an IPv4 address while another reports an IPv6 address.

That is why an IP test should state which address family it observed. Do not assume two different-looking addresses represent two random results when one is IPv4 and the other is IPv6.

A complete investigation may require checking both protocols according to the documented setup. Avoid changing network or router settings as a general response.

Cache and update timing matter

Browsers, DNS resolvers, content-delivery networks, and the IP-checking service itself can cache results. A page may also load some information from a previous request while another field is refreshed.

Repeat the test in a controlled way rather than refreshing many pages rapidly. Confirm the VPN status, note the time, and record the raw public IP shown by each service. If the raw address is the same while the city differs, the disagreement is clearly in the database description.

Use a controlled IP-check method

  1. Confirm the VPN client reports Connected.
  2. Record the profile or intended connection in non-sensitive terms.
  3. Close or avoid pages that requested browser location permission.
  4. Open two or three reputable IP-checking services.
  5. Record the exact IPv4 and IPv6 addresses shown.
  6. Record country, city, and network labels separately.
  7. Repeat once after a short interval if necessary.
  8. Compare the raw addresses before comparing location names.

Do not grant precise browser location permission during a basic IP test. That would introduce a different signal.

What a disagreement does and does not prove

If two sites show the same IP but different cities, the VPN connection can still be functioning normally. The sites are interpreting the same address differently.

If they show different public IPs at the same time, check whether:

A differing city does not prove a leak. A matching city does not prove complete privacy or security. The meaning depends on the raw address and the test method.

How to report a meaningful result

A useful report includes:

Do not include profile files, credentials, tokens, or internal configuration.

Why the answers can disagree

IP-check services rely on separate databases and update schedules. Two sites can map the same public IP differently without proving that the VPN connection is switching locations. Confirm the actual public IP first, then treat the displayed city as an estimate rather than an exact device position.

Frequently asked questions

Which IP-checking site is correct?
They may all observe the same IP while using different descriptive databases. The raw address is more direct than the city label.

Why does one site show a nearby city and another a distant city?
City-level IP geolocation is approximate and may reflect registration or network infrastructure rather than exact physical location.

Can IPv4 and IPv6 show different locations?
Yes. They are different address ranges and may have different database records or network paths.

Does a wrong city mean the VPN is not connected?
No. Confirm the client status and raw public IP before interpreting the city estimate.

Should I grant browser location permission for an IP test?
No. That introduces device location and makes the result harder to interpret.