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2.2 + wifi issue: possible cause

skiahh

Well-Known Member
Mar 29, 2010
125
7
Since 2.2, I have not been able to connect to my wifi (or any other secured connection). It gets to the "Obtaining IP address from XXX..." and hangs, times out, retries ad naseum. Eventually it gives up and stops trying.

If I set a static IP, it connects right up and works with no problem.

I just downloaded System Panel Lite and it shows my DHCP server set to 192.168.0.1. That's never been my DHCP and I'm wondering if 2.2 set a static DHCP vs an auto one.

Does anyone know how to change the DHCP setting on a non-rooted Droid?
 
Since 2.2, I have not been able to connect to my wifi (or any other secured connection). It gets to the "Obtaining IP address from XXX..." and hangs, times out, retries ad naseum. Eventually it gives up and stops trying.

If I set a static IP, it connects right up and works with no problem.

I just downloaded System Panel Lite and it shows my DHCP server set to 192.168.0.1. That's never been my DHCP and I'm wondering if 2.2 set a static DHCP vs an auto one.

Does anyone know how to change the DHCP setting on a non-rooted Droid?
It's the router that is set with static vs. dynamic DHCP to match the requirements of the ISP.
 
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I believe it's the router that is set with static vs. dynamic DHCP, not the appliance.

They BOTH have to be set up for DHCP.

My router is set for DHCP (2 laptops and a Blackberry connect just fine with DHCP).

The device needs to be set to autodiscover the DHCP server. Mine appears not be set that way and set at a default 192.168.0.1.

The device should be able to figure out the DHCP server once its credentials have been verified, otherwise, how would you move from router to router with possible different DHCP IP addresses.

Oh, and either can be set for static... my Droid will connect when I tell it what IP the router has assigned. That's great for home, but useless on the road.
 
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And how do you set a static address on the Droid?

Go into your Wireless & networks menu, select Wi-Fi settings, press the menu button and select Advanced. Check the "Use static IP" block and enter your static data.

Pretty simple, actually.

Problem is, it only works on a system where you know the IP address assigned to the Droid by the router, either by DHCP, if it works, or statically if it's set up that way. If you're traveling, that doesn't work so well.
 
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Sorry, I don't know any answer to your specific problem. I CAN say that I had a ton of wifi problems after the first 2.2 update and it actually drove me to root my phone so I could solve that problem and the concomitant battery life issue.

So I guess I could say that rooting will solve your problem.

:)


Good luck
 
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Sorry, I don't know any answer to your specific problem. I CAN say that I had a ton of wifi problems after the first 2.2 update and it actually drove me to root my phone so I could solve that problem and the concomitant battery life issue.

So I guess I could say that rooting will solve your problem.

:)


Good luck

I will probably root the day my warranty expires! Until then, Verizon and Motorola are still trying to help me work through this and offering replacements. I already sent one back because it did the same thing, so we'll see what the next step is.
 
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Didn't believe me, didja?? :D
I couldn't fathom why one would want a static IP address in the world of wireless networks on the device side, but it sure is an option. The only times I've ever used a static IP in wireless is on the router side, to match the needs of the ISP. With wireless devices connecting and disconnecting from the network all day long, I would think going the static address route on the device side could be tiresome, but hey . . . :eek:
 
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I couldn't fathom why one would want a static IP address in the world of wireless networks on the device side, but it sure is an option. The only times I've ever used a static IP in wireless is on the router side, to match the needs of the ISP. With wireless devices connecting and disconnecting from the network all day long, I would think going the static address route on the device side could be tiresome, but hey . . . :eek:

I think you missed my point, though. I don't WANT to do static... it's just the only way I can get it to connect to my home network. The router assigns an IP, but since the phone isn't doing DHCP for some reason (and I think that's the route cause of my issue), I tell it to use the IP that was assigned and it's happy as a clam.

That's all well and good for home use, but I can't do static on the road, since I don't know what the assigned IP will be, so it's a band-aid for my home network, nothing more.

But it's a step towards a solution. Now I just need to figure out (or get V or M to figure out) how to reset that setting to auto discover the DHCP server.
 
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I think you missed my point, though. I don't WANT to do static... it's just the only way I can get it to connect to my home network. The router assigns an IP, but since the phone isn't doing DHCP for some reason (and I think that's the route cause of my issue), I tell it to use the IP that was assigned and it's happy as a clam.

That's all well and good for home use, but I can't do static on the road, since I don't know what the assigned IP will be, so it's a band-aid for my home network, nothing more.

But it's a step towards a solution. Now I just need to figure out (or get V or M to figure out) how to reset that setting to auto discover the DHCP server.
I understand - it's just that my question about whether static addresses could be selected was prompted by my not knowing why the Droid needed that option in the first place. It's an option that doesn't seem particularly needed, except when the damn thing is broke and it's the only way someone can connect to their wireless network. Anyway, we all learn something every day around here - pressing the menu button can be quite an interesting experience. (and I assume your router has the DHCP enable option engaged?) Good luck.
 
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Just throwing a few questions your way to see if I can help:

Have you tried removing the wireless profile from your phone and then reconnecting?

Are you able to connect to other wireless networks?

What model router do you have?

Are you using wireless encryption? If so, which encryption are you using?

Can you give us some information on your network?
I imagine you are using something like
Router WAN IP: (auto)
Router LAN IP: 192.168.1.1
Subnet: 255.255.255.0

With DHCP enabled
 
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i happen to have the same issue, but tis weird since 2.2 i cant connect to my own router bt i can connect to anyone else.
when i try to connect to my router i enter the password and it starts to obtain ip, then wifi turns off. then turns back on and tries to auto connect to the router again. it runs a circle.
when i also try to see routers in range i see my router listed 2 times once with wep, and once with wpa/wpa2 psk. i will try to connect with one and it gos thru that cycle. then it say its out of range and the other one ries to connect and it does the same thing.
like right at this moment i am sitting here next to the router and they are bth on my screen and neither will connect.

any ideas cause i am lost especially since i can connect at my girlfriends house, and another friends house like nothing.
 
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Just throwing a few questions your way to see if I can help:

Have you tried removing the wireless profile from your phone and then reconnecting?

Are you able to connect to other wireless networks?

What model router do you have?

Are you using wireless encryption? If so, which encryption are you using?

Can you give us some information on your network?
I imagine you are using something like
Router WAN IP: (auto)
Router LAN IP: 192.168.1.1
Subnet: 255.255.255.0

With DHCP enabled

I guess I should have posted a summary (I've documented my efforts in various other threads). I've done all the basics and most of the advanced troubleshooting tricks:

I have tried Open (connects fine) and all variants of security (I've been able to connect to 1 WEP network, but no WPA/WPA2 networks or other WEPs). I've tried all the variants on my router and can connect when it's open, but not when it's secure. I've tried isolating to just b, just g, b+g only, g+n only, b+g+n. I've tried specific channels. I've changed the internal IPs, trying the 192.X.X.X range, the 10.X.X.X range. I've broadcast the SSID and kept it hidden. I've verified the router firmware is the latest. I've put the router back to factory default and rebuilt everything on that side. I've changed the password on the router.

On the phone, I've forgotten the connection more times than I can remember (pun intended!). I've used wifi analyzer to see what's going on. I've rebooted the phone, pulled the battery, done a factory reset. I've played with the static IP function and that seems to work. On Status Panel, when connected with a static IP, it reports the DHCP server as 192.168.0.1. I thought I had found an "a ha!" moment, and set my router's DHCP server to 192.168.0.1 (and the internal range to match) to check. No luck... still sat at "Obtaining IP address from XXX..." That's what prompted this thread, so while the DHCP server on the phone may be fixed at that, it's not the only issue with connecting.

When it does that, I can see the phone registered on the router side, with an IP assigned (meaning the protocols are correct, including the password), but the phone just won't accept the assigned IP unless I force it by setting the static IP. And like I said, this is good for home, but useless for traveling.

I've gone through V level 2 tech support and M level 2 tech support. Thought I had someone with an idea at M who was going to call me back within 24 hours - no matter what he found - but I haven't heard from him in 2 weeks.

I tried a replacement phone with the exact same results, so sent it back. Figured it's easier to keep my phone than swap everything over if the new one does the same thing!

My router is a Belkin N-1, early N router. Phone worked just fine on it - and any other router - prior to the 2.2 upgrade. 2 laptops and a Blackberry continue to work on it just fine.

I've tried the Wi-Fi sleep settings with no effect.

I'm not rooted. I have FRD22. No app changes from 2.1 to 2.2. Correction, I have loaded Wi-Fi analyzer and Status Panel Lite since the update to help troubleshoot, and those work fine.

OK... have I missed anything? I'm not being smug or facetious, I really want to know! I'm willing to try just about anything to figure this one out, short of rooting for now. It may come to that, but as long as V and M are willing to work with me on this, I'll stay unrooted to fix it.
 
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I don't know that router since I typically run linksys or dlink routers with tomato firmware ... but ..

When you say you set the router's DHCP server to 192.168.0.1 ... are you referring to your router's LAN IP address? Which means, that in order to get to your router's control panel, you would access http://192.168.0.1 (or https depending on your settings).

I think you also mentioned that you were only able to connect to one other wireless network (and it was using WEP).

This may be a bit tedious, and it may replicate some of the troubleshooting you've tried already .... but these are the steps I would troubleshoot in:
1) Hardware reset both router and phone.
2) Ensure there are no wireless profiles listed on the phone (there shouldn't be .. but worth checking anyway).
3) Do the bare minimum to get an Open wireless connection functional on your router
4) Connect a computer wirelessly to the router. -- if it works, go to next step
5) Connect the phone to the router. -- if it works, go to next step
5) Hardware reset the phone -- double check the wireless profile
6) Set the router to WEP
7) Connect the computer to it -- if it works, go to next step
8) See if the phone will connect to it -- if it works, go to next step
9) Hardware reset the phone -- double check the wireless profile
10) Set router to WPA2
11) Connect computer -- if it works, go to next step
12) Connect phone -- if it works ... have a shot, you deserve it. If not, find the nearest hardware store, procure a sledge hammer and strike the phone several times until you can't feel your arms.


The reason I said check your wireless profiles is because I feel like mine showed up even when doing a full wipe of my ROMS. But the number of times that I've upgraded in place vs wiped the phone completely may have blurred my memory.
 
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When you say you set the router's DHCP server to 192.168.0.1 ... are you referring to your router's LAN IP address? Which means, that in order to get to your router's control panel, you would access http://192.168.0.1 (or https depending on your settings).
I should have noted this last night, skiahh, when we were exchanging posts. This does not look like the IP address assigned to the Droid, but rather the IP address of the router, such as what you would use to access the control panel, as mode notes in this post. The Droid's assigned IP address is more likely 192.168.0.2, or .3, or .4, depending on how many other devices are already logged on the router at that time. Try some of these variations with your manual setting of the IP address on the Droid, and see if anything useful happens. We await word . . . ;)
 
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I don't know that router since I typically run linksys or dlink routers with tomato firmware ... but ..

When you say you set the router's DHCP server to 192.168.0.1 ... are you referring to your router's LAN IP address? Which means, that in order to get to your router's control panel, you would access http://192.168.0.1 (or https depending on your settings). Yes.

I think you also mentioned that you were only able to connect to one other wireless network (and it was using WEP).

This may be a bit tedious, and it may replicate some of the troubleshooting you've tried already .... but these are the steps I would troubleshoot in:
1) Hardware reset both router and phone. Done.
2) Ensure there are no wireless profiles listed on the phone (there shouldn't be .. but worth checking anyway). Done. No effect.
3) Do the bare minimum to get an Open wireless connection functional on your router
4) Connect a computer wirelessly to the router. -- if it works, go to next step
5) Connect the phone to the router. -- if it works, go to next step Only way to get the phone to connect without static IP.
5) Hardware reset the phone -- double check the wireless profile Done
6) Set the router to WEP
7) Connect the computer to it -- if it works, go to next step
8) See if the phone will connect to it -- if it works, go to next step
9) Hardware reset the phone -- double check the wireless profile
10) Set router to WPA2
11) Connect computer -- if it works, go to next step
12) Connect phone -- if it works ... have a shot, you deserve it. If not, find the nearest hardware store, procure a sledge hammer and strike the phone several times until you can't feel your arms. It doesn't work. Sledgehammer option strongly considered. Verizon does not recommend this option to maintain warranty service.


The reason I said check your wireless profiles is because I feel like mine showed up even when doing a full wipe of my ROMS. But the number of times that I've upgraded in place vs wiped the phone completely may have blurred my memory.

I should have noted this last night, skiahh, when we were exchanging posts. This does not look like the IP address assigned to the Droid, but rather the IP address of the router, such as what you would use to access the control panel, as mode notes in this post. The Droid's assigned IP address is more likely 192.168.0.2, or .3, or .4, depending on how many other devices are already logged on the router at that time. Try some of these variations with your manual setting of the IP address on the Droid, and see if anything useful happens. We await word . . . ;)

I think we're still mis-communicating. The DHCP server is 192.168.0.1. That is, the phone thinks that's where it needs to look to find its IP. My internal network started with 192.168.2.1, so the .0.1 wouldn't be there if that is what the phone was looking for. The IP assigned was .4 and when I tell the phone to use that via static, it works just fine. But again, that won't help on another network that may be running a 10.X.X.X network or any other combination other than 192.168.0.1 as a gateway.

When using Status Panel Lite and connected via a static IP (working, able to get out to the internet and surf), the device network stats show the IP, network, etc etc... and then it shows DHCP Server: 192.168.0.1. When the Droid says DHCP Server, unless I've misunderstood how Status Panel is reporting/displaying its information, I take that to mean that that is the IP address where the phone is looking to get its DHCP IP assignment.
 
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Ahh .. ok .. that's where my confusion was.

I didn't know whether you had set your network to 192.168.0.1 ... or if that's just where the droid was looking for the gateway and dhcp server.

Heh .. I don't suppose you know someone nearby with a working droid do you?

My next suggestion is using adb and logcat to view the logs on your phone as you try to connect so you can see exactly what it's doing step by step as it tries to negotiate a connection with your router.
 
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Ahh .. ok .. that's where my confusion was.

I didn't know whether you had set your network to 192.168.0.1 ... or if that's just where the droid was looking for the gateway and dhcp server.

Heh .. I don't suppose you know someone nearby with a working droid do you?

My next suggestion is using adb and logcat to view the logs on your phone as you try to connect so you can see exactly what it's doing step by step as it tries to negotiate a connection with your router.

Don't you have to be rooted to do adb stuff?
 
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