Why do sites still recognize me?
Quote from Gruthoss on August 17, 2026, 12:28 amI do competitor research for work, and those sessions have to stay completely anonymous because I can't have the visits tied back to my company. I run a VPN and a proxy at the same time, use private windows, clear cookies, and lock down every privacy setting I can find. Some sites still recognize the same browser fingerprint, and a couple of leak tests show details from my real connection. Why is this still happening? What am I doing wrong?
I do competitor research for work, and those sessions have to stay completely anonymous because I can't have the visits tied back to my company. I run a VPN and a proxy at the same time, use private windows, clear cookies, and lock down every privacy setting I can find. Some sites still recognize the same browser fingerprint, and a couple of leak tests show details from my real connection. Why is this still happening? What am I doing wrong?
Quote from Bushemyn on August 17, 2026, 12:44 amA VPN and a proxy only change the network route, so piling them together doesn't automatically give the browser a new identity. Canvas output, WebGL, installed fonts, screen size, language, and time zone can still produce the same fingerprint on every visit. Two connection layers can even make the profile stand out when the IP points to one country and the browser settings point to another. Use a separate browser profile for this work and keep its language, time zone, and location signals consistent with the proxy.
A VPN and a proxy only change the network route, so piling them together doesn't automatically give the browser a new identity. Canvas output, WebGL, installed fonts, screen size, language, and time zone can still produce the same fingerprint on every visit. Two connection layers can even make the profile stand out when the IP points to one country and the browser settings point to another. Use a separate browser profile for this work and keep its language, time zone, and location signals consistent with the proxy.
Quote from Molnarium on August 17, 2026, 12:49 amThere's another leak that private mode and cookie cleanup won't catch. Your web traffic can pass through the VPN or proxy while domain lookups still go to your ISP's resolver, leaving the session with two different locations. You can read more about what a DNS leak is here https://gologin.com/blog/what-is-a-dns-leak/ . Run a DNS leak test with both layers active and check whether the resolver belongs to your ISP. Test IPv6, secure DNS, and WebRTC one at a time, since any of them can bypass the route you intended. Set the connection to stop when the proxy drops so the browser can't fall back to your normal network.
There's another leak that private mode and cookie cleanup won't catch. Your web traffic can pass through the VPN or proxy while domain lookups still go to your ISP's resolver, leaving the session with two different locations. You can read more about what a DNS leak is here https://gologin.com/blog/what-is-a-dns-leak/ . Run a DNS leak test with both layers active and check whether the resolver belongs to your ISP. Test IPv6, secure DNS, and WebRTC one at a time, since any of them can bypass the route you intended. Set the connection to stop when the proxy drops so the browser can't fall back to your normal network.