What is this comparison?

Every site sees two things without asking: the time zone set on your device (the browser hands it to JavaScript, such as Asia/Tehran), and your IP address, which geolocation databases place in a city and time zone. On the “My device” page, CheckNet compares the two by their offset from Coordinated Universal Time (UTC).

Why a mismatch matters

With a VPN or proxy on, your IP belongs to another country while your device clock still shows home time. So a mismatch is a hint that the connection goes through a VPN. It is only a hint, not proof: a traveller who has not changed their phone’s clock, or someone living on the border of two time zones, gets the same result. On the other hand, countries with the same offset cannot be told apart.

For most people the mismatch is harmless. Some services, such as streaming sites or banks, may use it to guess that a VPN is on and, for example, ask for extra verification.

If you want them to match

1. The simplest way: in your VPN app, pick a server in your own time zone or close to it.
2. The other way: change the device’s time zone to the VPN server’s. In the device’s date and time settings, turn off setting the time zone automatically and choose the zone by hand.
3. Weigh the side effects first: the clock no longer shows your local time, and reminders, alarms and calendar events may show at shifted times.
4. When you are done, turn automatic time zone back on.
5. Reload the “My device” page and look at the time zone row.

When travelling: if your phone takes its time zone from the network automatically, it usually matches the country you are in on its own. If you keep the clock on home time by hand, a mismatch is expected and nothing to worry about.

Check again with CheckNet

The time zone row on the “My device” page shows both values: the device’s zone and the IP’s zone. If you turn the VPN off and still see a mismatch, check the device’s date and time settings; the time zone may have been set by hand to the wrong one.