Why Your Phone, Laptop, or TV Won't Connect to Wi-Fi and Says "Obtaining IP Address" — A Complete Guide 2026

You're trying to connect to Wi-Fi, but your device gets stuck on the message Obtaining an IP address — and after a minute it gives an error? This problem occurs on Android-smartphones, Windows-laptops, Smart TV and even printers. The causes lie not only in the router settings, but also in network protocol conflicts and failures. DHCP servers or restrictions from the provider.

In this article - A breakdown of 10 real causes of the "Obtaining IP Address" error with step-by-step solutions for different devices.We won't recommend "just rebooting the router" (although that sometimes works), but we'll figure out why IP address is not assigned — from trivial failures to hidden MAC address restrictions. No special software is required for diagnostics: all steps can be performed through standard settings.

If you're in a hurry, use the table of contents below. If the problem occurs on a specific device (for example, only on Xiaomi Redmi Note 12 or Samsung Smart TV 2023), pay attention to the sections with settings for Android, Windows And routersFor owners TP-Link Archer or ASUS RT-AX88U There are separate setup instructions DHCP.

1. What does "Obtaining IP address" mean and why is the process stuck?

When a device connects to Wi-Fi, it goes through 4 key steps:

1. Authentication — checking the network password.
2. Association — confirmation of connection to the router.
3. IP request — the device is accessing DHCP server router for the address.
4. IP assignment — the router issues an address (for example, 192.168.1.102) and network parameters (gateway, DNS).

Error Obtaining an IP address means that the process is stuck 3rd stage: The device sent a request to DHCP, but did not receive a response. Reasons:

• 🔌 DHCP server is disabled or does not work correctly (often after a router power failure).
• 📱 IP conflict — another gadget on the network is already using the address that the router is trying to assign to your device.
• ⚡ MAC address restriction — the router settings allow access only to certain devices.
• 🛡️ Blocked by provider - some operators (for example, Rostelecom or Beeline) limit the number of connected devices.

Less often guilty Incorrect DNS settings or router firmware failure (relevant for older models D-Link DIR-300 or Zyxel Keenetic). To determine the exact cause, you need to check DHCP log on the router and the test device.

2. Quick fixes: what to do first

Before digging into your router settings, follow these steps. They help in 60% of cases:

Reboot your router (unplug for 30 seconds)|Forget the network on your device and reconnect|Check if the number of connected devices has been exceeded|Disable VPN or proxy on your device (if using one)-->

If nothing helps — proceed to detailed diagnostics in the sections below. Please note: Android-devices the error is often associated with energy saving mode, which turns off the Wi-Fi module in the background. Windows 10/11 a service failure is to blame WLAN AutoConfig.

⚠️ Attention: If the problem appeared after updating the router firmware (for example, on Keenetic or MikroTik), try rolling back to the previous version. Some betas contain bugs in the module. DHCP.

3. Setting up DHCP on a router: step-by-step instructions

If your router doesn't provide an IP address, first check your settings. DHCP serversTo do this:

1. Connect to the router via cable or another device that has Wi-Fi.
2. Open your router's control panel (usually at 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1).
3. Go to the section LAN or DHCP (names vary depending on model).

Next, proceed according to your router manufacturer:

If DHCP server is disabled, enable it and save the settings. If the IP address range is exhausted (for example, there are already 20 devices on the network, and the range 192.168.1.100–120), expand it to 192.168.1.100–200.

4. Manual IP address assignment (if DHCP does not work)

If your router doesn't assign an IP address automatically, you can assign one manually. This is a temporary solution, but it will help you determine if the router is at fault. DHCP.

For Android:

1. Open Settings → Wi-Fi.
2. Click on your network → Change network → Additional options.
3. In the section IP settings select Custom.
4. Please specify:
   • IP address: 192.168.1.150 (the last digit is any from 100 to 254, not occupied by other devices).
   • Gateway: 192.168.1.1 (router address).
   • Network prefix length: 24.
   • DNS 1: 8.8.8.8 (Google DNS).

For Windows 10/11:

1. Open Settings → Network & Internet → Wi-Fi → Manage known networks.
2. Select your network → Properties.
3. Scroll to IP settings → Change → Manually.
4. Activate the switch IPv4 and enter the same parameters as for Android.

If the Internet works after manually assigning an IP, the problem is definitely in DHCP server of the routerIf not, check. MAC filtering or provider restrictions (section 6).

5. IP Address Conflict: How to Find and Fix It

If two devices on the network receive the same IP address, the router blocks the duplicate, and the new device gets stuck at the "Obtaining IP" stage. To check for a conflict:

1. Connect to the router via cable or a working Wi-Fi device.
2. Open the list of connected clients (section DHCP Clients, Connected Devices or Local area network).
3. Check if there are two devices with the same IP in the list (for example, 192.168.1.105).

If a conflict is found:

• 🔄 Reboot your router - this will reset all issued IPs.
• 📵 Disconnect the problematic device (the one that duplicates the IP) from the network.
• 🔧 Reserve IP for critical gadgets (for example, Smart TV or NAS) in the settings DHCP Reservation.

On routers ASUS And TP-Link IP reservation is done like this:

1. Find the MAC address of the device (in the client list or in its settings).
2. In the settings DHCP add a reservation rule by binding the MAC to a specific IP (e.g. 192.168.1.200 For Samsung TV).

⚠️ Attention: IP conflicts often occur after using functions MAC address cloning (For example, to bypass ISP restrictions). If you changed the MAC address on your router, restore the original.

6. Provider restrictions and MAC address blocking

Some internet service providers (eg. Rostelecom, MGTS, Beeline) limit the number of devices that can connect to the network simultaneously. If the limit is reached, new devices will not receive an IP address.

How to check:

• 📞 Call your provider's support team and check if there is a limit on the number of devices.
• 🖥️ Check your personal account on the provider's website - sometimes a list of connected gadgets is displayed there.
• 🔍 In your router settings, look at the section WAN or Internet - if it is indicated there MAC address, it could be tied to a specific device.

Solutions:

• 🔄 Reboot your router — sometimes the provider resets restrictions after a restart.
• 📲 Clone the MAC address the main device (for example, a PC) in the router settings (section MAC Clone or MAC Binding).
• 💰 Order additional IP addresses from the provider (paid, relevant for offices).

If the provider blocks devices by MAC address, and cloning doesn't help, try:

1. Connect the router to the mode Bridge (bridge) and use another device to distribute Wi-Fi.
2. Use VPN on a router (if the provider blocks by geolocation).

How to bypass the provider's device limitation?

Some providers (eg Dom.ru) block new connections if there are already 5+ devices on the network. Bypass:

1. Buy a second router and connect it to the first one via cable (mode AP).

2. Set up a separate network on it (for example, MyWiFi_5G) - the provider will see only one MAC address (of the first router).

3. Connect new devices to the second router.

Minus: Speed ​​may drop by 10-20% due to double NAT.

7. Router firmware failures and hardware problems

If the "Obtaining IP Address" error appears on all devices, and rebooting the router doesn't help, the problem may be:

• 🐛 Firmware bug — especially relevant for routers D-Link DIR-615, Tenda AC10 or Mercusys.
• 🔥 Chip overheating - if the router is hot, DHCP server may work unstably.
• ⚡ Memory failures - on old routers (for example, TP-Link TL-WR740N) the flash memory wears out and the settings are reset.

How to diagnose:

1. Check the temperature of the router - if it is hot, provide ventilation.
2. Update your firmware to the latest version (download only from official website manufacturer).
3. Reset the router to factory settings (button Reset for 10 seconds).

If the problem persists after resetting, the router is faulty. As a temporary solution, you can:

• Use it in mode repeater (if there is a second router).
• Connect the devices via cable (if the Wi-Fi module is broken).
• Buy a new router (we recommend TP-Link Archer AX21 or ASUS RT-AX55 for stable operation DHCP).

⚠️ Attention: On routers with alternative firmware (DD-WRT, OpenWRT) The "Obtaining IP" error may occur due to incorrect firewall settings. Check the rules in the section Firewall → NAT.

8. Device-side issues (Android, Windows, Smart TV)

If the error occurs only on one device, and the rest connect normally, the reason is in its settings.

For Android:

• 📵 Reset network settings: Settings → System → Reset → Reset Wi-Fi, mobile network, and Bluetooth settings.
• 🔋 Disable power saving for Wi-Fi: Settings → Battery → Low Power Mode → Adaptive Battery → Disable for your network.
• 📱 Update the firmware - on Samsung Galaxy And Xiaomi Wi-Fi bugs are fixed in security patches.

For Windows 10/11:

• 🖥️ Restart the WLAN AutoConfig service:

  net stop WlanSvc
  net start WlanSvc

• 🔧 Reset the TCP/IP stack:

  netsh int ip reset
  netsh winsock reset

• 🔄 Update your Wi-Fi adapter driver through device Manager.

For Smart TV (Samsung, LG, Sony):

• 📺 Reset the network: Settings → General → Network → Network Reset.
• 🔌 Unplug the TV from the power outlet for 1 minute. - this will reset the network settings cache.
• 📡 Use 5 GHz - There may be too much interference at 2.4 GHz.

On Samsung Smart TV For releases from 2018 to 2022, the "Obtaining IP" error is often associated with a bug in the module. Wi-Fi DirectSolution: Disable this feature in your network settings.

FAQ: Frequently Asked Questions about the "Obtaining IP Address" Error

🔹 Why does the error only appear at night?

Most likely, the provider limits the number of devices at night (relevant for Beeline And MTS). It is also possible router overheating due to prolonged operation - try to provide ventilation or reboot it before going to bed.

🔹 My phone says "Obtaining IP," but my laptop's Wi-Fi works. What's wrong?

There is a problem with the settings Android:

1. Remove the network from saved ones and reconnect.
2. Check if it is turned on Modem mode or Access point - they may conflict with Wi-Fi.
3. Turn it off VPN or Proxy in the network settings.

If this doesn’t help, reset the network settings (section 8).

🔹 My router is assigning an IP address, but the internet isn't working. What should I do?

That's another problem - no WAN access. Check:

• Is the provider's cable connected to the port? WAN/Internet on the router.
• Are the indicators on? WAN And Internet.
• Settings PPPoE/L2TP in the section Internet (maybe the login/password got lost).

Reboot your router and wait for it to re-authenticate with your ISP.

🔹 Can an antivirus block IP address acquisition?

Yes, if it has a built-in firewall. For example, Kaspersky Internet Security or ESET NOD32 may block DHCP requests, if they are considered suspicious. Solution:

1. Temporarily disable your antivirus and try connecting again.
2. Add your router to Exceptions firewall.

🔹 After changing my router, my devices won't connect. Why?

It was probably enabled on the old router. client isolation mode (AP Isolation), and devices "got used to" its MAC address. Solution:

1. On the new router, enable the same network (SSID) and the password that were on the old one.
2. In the section DHCP expand your IP range (e.g. with 192.168.1.100–200 to 192.168.1.100–250).
3. On your devices, delete the old network and connect to the new one.