Obtaining IP Address Loop

[jwbwd2]

Previously had this problem with my Droid Razr after it updated to Android 4.1 and continue with my stock Verizon LG G2 which runs Android 4.2.2. It has only happened (on both phones) at work. I work in a factory and essentially can't use my phone unless I am on wifi.

Problem: When trying to connect to the company "Public" network it just continuously displays "obtaining ip address". My Razr connected just fine before the update and now my G2 does the exact same thing.

I have tried: I have searched and searched and searched the internet. Trying to check and uncheck every option suggested on the phone. I have installed numerous wifi fixing apps including (wifix and a few others). Obviously I cannot just run in Static IP mode since I cannot get all the necessary information from my work wifi network. I WILL NOT root my phone. The only advise I have gotten from verizon or phone manufactures is that it is a problem with the router and that you need a new one. Obviously I cannot do this since it is a giant wifi network at work.

I am at my wits END with this!!! PLEASE HELP!!!!!!!!!

 

[stef7]

Does this happen at all locations in the shop? They must use several routers to provide coverage to the area.

I suggest looking to see if you can connect somewhere else on the property, or seeing if someone responsible for their IT will try an experiment to reboot the router serving the area of the floor you work in.

I've had this sort of issue at a blood donor center with my LG Spectrum. I think the router and the software it runs could be the ultimate culprit.

 

[jwbwd2]

You are correct. They use many many routers to broadcast wifi across the facility. I have tried connecting in several locations around the plant and all produce the same results. I am a bit hesitant to contact IT since it is about my mobile device and my laptop connects without problem. How is it that there is no fix for the phone itself. It seems to me with such a wide spread problem (research this issue and you will find HUNDREDS of problems just like this) on such a HUGE OS that they would actually fix this in their programming instead of saying "Sorry, it is just the routers fault". Sorry for the rant but this is driving me up the wall. If anyone has a fix for the phone or any new ideas please let me know. In the mean time I will try to contact our IT though they are a bit....(how to say this nicely)...overwhelmed...

Thank you for your advice stef7! I appreciate it!!!

 

[Klotar]

Some open/guest wifi networks require a login or acknowledgement ("I agree") before granting full connectivity. Once acknowledged or logged in, often you never have to do that again. The problem is, on phones/smartphones, you often don't know that this is what the holdup is.

This of course might not apply to you, even unlikely since it's a work network but you never know. Have you tried opening your browser while waiting to obtain an IP address -- just to see if there is such an acknowledgement or login screen awaiting user input?

That said, in the notification bar, sometimes a message will flash by asking you to log in. At a local coffee shop with a free wifi service, this is what happens the first time yet unless you open your browser, you have no idea what the problem is. After that, it remembers my device (mac address, probably) and I don't have to do it again. This coffee shop remembered my device for over a year, until I got a new device (the G2), and I couldn't get any connectivity until I opened the browser and clicked "I accept" or somesuch.

Doesn't explain your Razr and laptop but worth a shot, and only a minute or two to be lost. Good luck.

Edit/Add: just tried to connect on a "Guest" network at work. It sat for a long time on 'obtaining IP address', and timed out. Tried it again and said connected but I really wasn't. Opened up my browser, tried to go to google, and got a login/acknowledgement screen.

 

[jwbwd2]

Klotar, I did try what you said about opening the browser and I even watched the notification screen for quite some time. Nothing... I also have never had to do that on my laptop and asked a few co-workers who have not had to do that.

Alright, a strange new revelation.... I found an obscure fix on some other phone techy site that gave a bunch of random numbers to enter into the static ip address fields. Somehow it actually got me connected. It is constantly kicking me off. After asking around I found that no one else gets constantly kicked off. Also, it keeps giving me errors like "avoided poor connection" which is an options that is OFF on my phone but it is doing it anyway as well as "no internet connection" which is also OFF. This is just craziness!

Will keep you updated if anymore new information comes to light.

 

[stef7]

True, it seems common place. Without rooting your device and trying some esoteric set of instructions to delete files in the root of the device's file system, or change permissions on some file... the only thing I could suggest was the router reset.

 

[Klotar]

Yeah, I just finished reading around and looks like either root + app, ask for a static IP, or get the routers rebooted. (I know the latter two are unlikely).

Or peek at your co-worker's device and see what his/her IP address is, use that after he/she goes home and beat them to work every day (kidding!).

Seriously though, it looks like the error is a DHCP problem (too many IP's issued or IP range is full, etc.) and without IT-like access to router setup or router reboot etc., your options are more limited. The error message seems misleading. If the router/network lease times are long, it may be holding on to IP addresses (instead of returning them to the pool) for an excessively long time (like for worker's devices whom don't work there any more).

 

[stef7]

Yes likely a plausible scenario.

 

[jwbwd2]

You make that sound very plausible, Klotar. I will tell you I am no expert when it comes to communication networks and especially not wifi networks. I'm thinking that maybe this place just needs to keep with the times and focus on updating everything more frequently...?

Thank you all for your input and advice! And again, if anyone else has anymore to add definitely feel free!!

 

[stef7]

Yes, Klotar's explanation is the best I've heard and fits, and also why I honestly think there is no "phone-based" solution to the issue you have.

I hate to say it, but I don't think it's your phone misbehaving. If Klotar's theory is right, I know of no way to get your phone to force the router to release the leases it has...

You could try randomly pinging some static IP addresses in a likely range to try to infer the real range of static IPs that might have been defined to the routers.

Maybe there is some download that does this. Afterall- a PrintBot program I downloaded to be able to print from Android (I think this phone has another means built-in which I haven't tried yet) could "scan and find" my WiFi Brother printer which I configured with a static IP. But then you need to know the proper netmask and servers to define to your connection...

There's always looking in Control Panel on one of the shop floor computers to see how they connect. Are they hard-wired?

Why does your shop have WiFi anyway? Is it for the convenience of it's employees? Or is it for some shop-based equipment, or both? I mean - really - you don't want to be "stealing bandwidth" anyway. So if you have a legit permission to access the system, someone in IT SHOULD be able to help you.

Yes - I still think the best idea is to ask if someone would selectively reboot one of the routers for you.

Good luck.

 

[jwbwd2]

We have a lot of visitors who do not have access to hard wire connection as well as some computer work to do out on the floor where hard line is not available. I do not mind grabbing up the bandwidth since I work for a multi-billion dollar corporation. If they don't want to maintain a functional network for its facilities that is not my darn fault.

 

[jwbwd2]

Ok, so IT is completely unwilling to work with me at all. I have recently factory reset my phone (which I am still absolutely positive it is not a problem with my phone since it happened with my Razr as well). I can force a connection with static IP but there is no internet access. I'm at my wits end. I am now coming to the point I cannot use my phone at work at all since I have run over my 10GB data plan 2 months in a row. I really need a solution here.... Any ideas anyone?!?!?!

Shop floor computers are all hard-wired.

How can I decide an IP address range to try?

What about other settings like Gateway, prefix length, DNS1, or DNS2? Can these be changed to make a difference? What are some numbers I could try?

 

[jwbwd2]

I tried random numbers between XXX.XXX.1.1 and XXX.XXX.1.299 (will not accept number 300 or greater) and none of them worked. All returned "Internet unavailable with "Network Name"." Does IP address and gateway have to match?

 

[Klotar]

Edit -- changed my mind on what I had briefly posted.

If you have access to your laptop's settings (IT policy may prevent you from making system changes), you could try making your laptop act as a wireless router for your G2 using an app called Connectify:

http://www.connectify.me/

If I read the description right, your laptop that is connected to your work network wirelessly can also create another wireless network (normally not possible without 2 network devices) and act as a router that your G2 could then use. Full version is $55. Trial version is limited to 90 minutes but that would be long enough to find out if it's going to work or not for you.
http://www.ehow.com/how_7308478_use-router-connect-phone-internet_.html

 

[jwbwd2]

Luckily I have the quoted text in the email notification...lol I'm pretty sure if I could find the router in this dirty labyrinth I would have already reset it myself! I talked to another tech savvy employee who has the EXACT same issue with their (German) X1. Running Android 4.2.2 and gets the obtaining IP loop on DHCP and connection but no internet access on static IP settings. And like I have said before my coworker with an iPhone 4s connects everyday with no problem. I am at the point I am just going to give up and hope that KitKat might solve the wifi issue. If you search the internet, it is not a rare problem at all. Hopefully they have gotten wind of it and changed their status of "Buy a new router" which they released shortly after the 4.2.2 update. *sigh*

 

[stef7]

Try disabling IPv6 in the router. Reboot router.

 

[Klotar]

Luckily I have the quoted text in the email notification...lol

Hehe -- yeah, I didn't mind you seeing that; just that I probably should have just PM'd it in the first place.

I'm pretty sure if I could find the router in this dirty labyrinth I would have already reset it myself! I talked to another tech savvy employee who has the EXACT same issue with their (German) X1. Running Android 4.2.2 and gets the obtaining IP loop on DHCP and connection but no internet access on static IP settings. And like I have said before my coworker with an iPhone 4s connects everyday with no problem. I am at the point I am just going to give up and hope that KitKat might solve the wifi issue. If you search the internet, it is not a rare problem at all. Hopefully they have gotten wind of it and changed their status of "Buy a new router" which they released shortly after the 4.2.2 update. *sigh*

Agreed that it's not uncommon a problem at all; but usually the users have access to the problem routers, and either it's a firmware upgrade fix or they get fed up and buy a different router (which doesn't solve the issue but their problem is solved) once the easier stuff has been eliminated (passwords, SSID stuff, etc.).

Hopefully we'll get our Kitkat upgrades soon!

 

[tmp]

I was having this same problem with an LG G2. Switching to a static address seems to have solved the problem.

I have a laptop so it was pretty easy to look up the ip to come up with likely candidates. Seems likely that most are 192.168.1.xxx... but who knows.

 

[kit7kat]

I have LG G2 Verizon running Kitkat 4.4.2 and I loved this phone until........... Phone is about 2 months old. I did not realize my phone was looping and randomly disconnecting with internet and using cellular data at my home until I got Verizon message of I already used my data allowance. Only then I turned off cellular data, and I realize I cannot even download 50 mb file. File randomly stopped downloading at 10 mb or 15 mb....did not even update apps like twitter and youtube........I have a Netgear G Router. Wifi network works flawlessly with my Ipad, laptops, Lumia 822 and Iphones but just not with LG G2, so it is not the router. Thanks to some nice tips, I change the wifi setting to never disconnect while sleep. Any suggestion I will greatly appreciate. Thank you once again.