September 21, 2023
Android "Failed to Obtain IP Address" How to Fix It

You might come across the “Failed to Obtain IP Address” error message when you’re trying to connect to a WiFi network on your Android device. This indicates an error with the router assigning an IP address for your phone to use on the network, either due to a software issue with your Android device, being blocked by the network admin, or a router problem.

I noticed this error for the first time when I was trying to connect to a public WiFi network that I frequent. I had connected just fine the previous day, but all of a sudden, I was getting the “Failed to Obtain IP Address” error. I had to get internet access quite urgently, so I did some research and in the process, came up with a convenient guide.

I’m going to share this guide with you, so you can learn about what causes the Android “Failed to Obtain IP Address” issue, as well as how to fix it and connect to the network. Let’s jump right into it.

Contents

Why Does My Phone Say “Failed To Obtain IP Address”?

There are a few reasons why your Android device could be showing you the “Failed to Obtain IP Address” error, Keep in mind that this error may also appear as an “Obtaining IP Address” message that doesn’t leave.

There are a few reasons why you might end up encountering this issue:

  • The MAC address of your Android phone was blacklisted or hasn’t been whitelisted. This prevents your device from being assigned an IP address on that WiFi network.
  • There is a glitch in the software on your smartphone, which stops the router from being able to assign an IP to it like it normally would.
  • The router is malfunctioning and this prevents it from allowing your device to connect to it in a normal fashion.
  • The encryption method in the router settings is not one that the Android device is compatible with.
  • The WiFi signal is poor, which prevents a connection from being made in the normal fashion.

How Do I Fix Failed To Obtain IP Address On Android Device?

The “Failed to Obtain IP Address” or “Obtaining IP Address” error message is an annoying one to deal with. However, the good thing is how easy it is to solve.

Below are 9 effective fixes you can use to get past this problem.

1. Ensure A Stronger Signal

A weak WiFi signal can prevent proper communication between your device and the router.

By making sure that your Android devices are in closer proximity to the router, it can solve this issue and allow an IP address to be assigned relatively quickly.

Also, try to avoid too many solid walls between the WiFi router and the device you’re using.

In cases where you find it hard to move the router from where it is in the house, you can consider getting a mesh WiFi system set up.

2. Forget The Network

When the data for a wireless network saved to your mobile device gets corrupted, you may be unable to connect.

I’ve found that clearing this network from your Android device and connecting again can help. Keep in mind that if you choose to forget a network, you will have to enter the password again.

To forget a network, do the following:

  1. Open “Settings”.
  2. Select “Connections”.
  3. Tap “WiFi”.
  4. Enable WiFi by tapping on the switch.
  5. On some devices, you may see the saved WiFi networks already, and if so, skip to step 8. On Samsung phones running OneUI, you will need to tap the three dots in the upper-right corner to open the drop-down menu.
  6. Tap “Advanced”.
  7. Select “Manage networks”.
  8. Now, tap the WiFi network that you want to get rid of.
  9. Tap “Forget” or “Forget Network” to delete it from your device.

3. Enable and Disable Airplane Mode

Turning Airplane Mode on and then back off can help clear any glitches or bugs that you’re experiencing with wireless functions on Android phones.

You can do this by pulling down the notification shade and tapping the Airplane Mode button on and then off.

You can also enable it from your device settings:

  1. Open the “Settings” app.
  2. Tap “Connections”.
  3. Turn Airplane Mode on using the toggle switch.
  4. Turn it off right after.
Airplane mode is ON Wi-Fi and Bluetooth are OFF

4. Restart Your Android Phone

A quick restart of your Android device serves as a great way to clear out any software issues that you might be facing on the device.

To restart an Android phone:

  1. Ensure that the device screen is on.
  2. Hold down the power button. The power-off menu should appear.
  3. Tap “Restart”.
  4. You may need to tap the button again or enter your passcode to confirm, depending on the device model.

5. Restart The Router

If you’re used to having a wireless router at home, you must have had to restart it a couple of times to fix issues with internet access or connections.

Fortunately, this also helps out if you’re dealing with “Failed to Obtain IP Address”, and it is just as easy as it normally is.

Simply unplug your router from power and wait about 15 seconds. Once that time has elapsed, plug it back in, and that’s it!

6. Use WPA2 PSK Encryption

With the hardware and software in certain mobile devices, certain network encryption methods aren’t compatible. This is particularly true of AES and TKIP.

Switching to the WPA2-PSK encryption method is the best choice as it gives you security and is still compatible on a wide enough basis.

You can change this from the network settings of your router, but the exact steps depend on the model you have. Check your user manual or search online for the instructions for your router’s interface.

7. Turn Off The Network’s MAC Filter

A MAC filter is used to either allow or prevent certain MAC addresses from having access to the network.

You can choose to turn this on or off. When it is off, all devices can connect, but when it is enabled, you will specifically need to be among the whitelisted MAC addresses to be able to connect.

You can disable MAC filtering from the network settings on your exact router, so take a look in the manual for the instructions needed.

8. Set A Static IP Address From IP Settings

Setting a static IP address manually is usually not needed, but some networks may require it. If you don’t set this, your device resorts to changing your IP address automatically, which can cause issues sometimes.

Depending on your Android smartphone, you may or may not be able to set a static IP address. However, on the ones that can, the steps are usually the following:

  1. Open the “Settings” app.
  2. Go to the “Network & Internet” menu.
  3. Select “WiFi” to view your wireless settings.
  4. Hold down on the WiFi network and tap “Modify Network”.
  5. On this screen, tap the “Advanced Options” button.
  6. Go down to the “IP Settings” section.
  7. Tap “DHCP” or “DHCP Mode” and select “Static IP”.
  8. In the IP Address field, you will need to enter a unique IP address that is not on that network. It will be in the format “192.168.1.xxx”. In the xxx section, enter a number between 1 and 255.
Turned on Gray Samsung Galaxy Android Smartphone

9. Do A Factory Reset

If you’ve tried everything, with no luck, you can choose to do a factory reset.

To perform a factory data reset:

  1. Open “Settings”.
  2. Go to “System”.
  3. Tap “Advanced”.
  4. Select “Reset options”.
  5. Tap “Erase all data (factory reset), and confirm the action.

Final Words

The “Failed to Obtain IP Address” error on Android is usually due to issues with your router, certain WiFi network settings, or Android software bugs.

You can get rid of this problem by restarting the router or your Android, disabling MAC filtering, setting a static IP, or a factory reset in the worst case.

Did this article help solve your IP issues on Android? If so, take a look at our related articles for more Android-related tips and tricks.

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