Owners of mobile gadgets, when trying to connect to Wi-Fi-based wireless networks, sometimes encounter the problem that for unknown reasons the device writes: “An authentication error has occurred.” Also, sometimes messages may appear about the message “Obtaining an IP address” constantly “hanging” on the screen, etc. How to fix such problems will be shown below. Looking ahead, it is worth saying that mobile devices are not always directly related to the occurrence of such troubles, and the root cause lies in incorrectly set router parameters. Next, we'll look at troubleshooting for home users, rather than for open networks that might be available in, say, cafes, restaurants or airports.
An authentication error occurred: what do you mean?
In general, the appearance of such a message indicates that when connecting to a wireless network, it was impossible to control (compare) the access key entered by the user with the one set for the network on the router. But this is far from the main reason.
Samsung devices or some other devices may also issue a message that an authentication error has occurred due to the fact that the information encoding (encryption) systems may not match in the same way. As is known, this technique is used to prevent attackers from gaining access to transmitted and received information in order to use it for their own interests.
Finally, the most common situation of a failure notifying the user that an authentication error occurred during connection may be associated with a weak signal (the capabilities of routers are limited mainly by a range of about 100-300 meters in line of sight).
Based on the above, we will take appropriate measures, but only in relation to home conditions.
What should I do if there is a WiFi authentication error in the first place?
So, the very first thing that is usually recommended to do in such situations is to completely reboot all used devices that are somehow connected to the network (routers, phones and tablets). If there is a weak signal, simply move closer to the router and check the connection.
Correctly entering the password and changing it on the router
Quite often, a message indicating that a WiFi authentication error has occurred, Samsung devices or any other devices can also appear due to the usual carelessness of a user who entered an incorrect password to access the network.
In this case, it is recommended to check the combination installed on the router and, if necessary, change it. To do this, log into the router interface using any web browser installed on a Windows system and go to the security password or encryption key line. After viewing, enter the correct combination on your mobile device.
If you need to change your password, first do so on your router and save the changes, then enter the changed password on your phone or tablet to connect to the network.
Note: you can find out the router address on the plate on the back of the device.
To view the password on a mobile device, use the connection settings, long press on the Wi-Fi line to go to the settings, select change network and check the box to show the password.
Changing the encryption standard
If the mobile device again reports that an authentication error occurred, compare the encryption types installed on the router and the mobile device.
In the router settings, refer to the corresponding line and set the authentication type to WPA-PSK/WPA2-PSK (Personal), and use the AES option for encryption. After this, on your mobile device, long press on the connection name, and then select delete network in the settings. After identifying available networks, find your connection and try to connect again.
Wi-Fi channel selection
If after this a notification appears indicating that an authentication error has occurred, you will have to move on to more drastic settings, which are made exclusively on the router.
Log in to the router’s web interface, as shown above, and go to the wireless network settings section (if the interface is not Russified, this is usually the Wireless menu). First, make sure that the region is set correctly, then from the drop-down list in the channel line (Chanel), alternately select one of the eleven present. Perhaps the connection will return to normal on one of them.
Changing Wi-Fi mode
Finally, if this doesn't help and the Authentication Error message appears again, take a look at the Wi-Fi mode you've set.
To solve the problem, in the Mode selection line, set the mixed type to 11b/g or 11b/g/n with the maximum data transfer rate, for example, 300 Mbit/s.
What to do if nothing helps?
Now let's see what can be done if none of the proposed solutions have a positive effect. In most cases, it all comes down to performing a full reset.
First, perform the following actions on the router, using the appropriate section for this. After the reset, use the information you received from your ISP and set up your wireless connection again.
Then, in the wireless connection settings on your mobile device, delete the connection you are using and confirm the “Forget this network” option. Reboot your device and connect again. If this does not work, reset the settings to factory settings on this device as well. But in most cases, such actions are not required on a mobile device. If this is still the problem, remember that personal data will be destroyed along with other information, so take care of creating a backup copy in advance by saving it on a removable memory card or on your computer (for a PC you can use even the simplest utilities like MyPhoneExplorer ).
Instead of a total
These are the main causes and methods for eliminating failures of this kind. If a similar situation occurs when trying to access open networks away from home, there is nothing left to do but contact the network administrator. At least they will definitely give you the correct password to log in. Sometimes, however, it happens that when visiting the same establishment, these network accesses on the mobile gadget are saved automatically. If things don't work, the same security key may have been changed. Delete the existing connection, connect again and enter a new password (or use the change password for an existing connection as shown in the material above).
It remains to add that most often there is no need to change the router settings (only in the most extreme cases), since in most cases the root cause of such a problem is the banal inattention of the owner of the phone or tablet, who is trying to enter incorrect data. But with Samsung equipment, the problem can actually be observed, since some devices by default use a different type of encryption than the standard one, which is why there is a discrepancy.
Most mobile device users know first-hand what wifi authentication is on a phone or tablet - after all, “users” encounter connecting to a wireless network almost every day. However, why to go through this “procedure” and for what reasons the problem of Wi-Fi authentication arises is not understood by all owners of modern tablet computers.
So, wifi authentication: what is it?
Authentication is a security check when connecting a device to Wi-Fi over a secure connection. During the authentication process, the device tells the Wi-Fi equipment the secret code entered by the user.
If the password is correctly specified, the Wi-Fi router connects the device to the network, otherwise the connection is reset. Thus, only users who are part of the circle of “trusted persons” and who know can use Wi-Fi resources.
In other words, Wi-Fi authentication on an Android device is the message to the router of the code for entering the network and its subsequent verification to ensure it matches the password specified in the router settings.
Android wifi authentication error: what to do?
Typically the authentication process takes a few seconds. But sometimes when connecting to WiFi (after entering the password), the device shows the “authentication” status for much longer - a Wi-Fi authentication error occurs on the phone, or the device never ends up being authorized on the network.
Typically, this problem occurs for one of the following reasons:
1. The secret code for connecting to WiFI was entered incorrectly
If you entered the wrong secret code (you made a typo, entered it in the wrong layout, or simply someone changed the code without your knowledge), then you will not be able to connect, and the “authentication” status will last longer than usual and will end with an error message.
Solution: check that the password is entered correctly. If you connect to a wireless network outside of your home (for example, at your workplace), ask your system administrator or colleagues for a new password.
If you establish a connection with, and are sure that the code was entered correctly, then we advise: perhaps they were changed without your knowledge.
2. Mismatch between the connection type in the tablet settings and the Wi-Fi equipment
Security standards are constantly improving and changing, so modern Wi-Fi equipment can operate in different modes that are incompatible with each other. And often a Wi-Fi authentication error on a tablet occurs due to a mismatch between the settings of the Android device and the network equipment.
For example, if the Wi-Fi router is set to , and on the tablet the access point type is set to WEP mode.
In this case, the tablet will see the network, but will not be able to complete the authentication process.
Solution: remove the access point from the list. Search for available Wi-Fi networks and try. If you have access to your router settings, you can also check the security settings and change them.
3. Large distance between router and tablet
In addition, the authentication problem when connecting to wifi may occur due to . In this case, you need to reduce the distance between the Wi-Fi equipment and the tablet.
In the 21st century, few people can imagine their life without the Internet. People are very accustomed to such luxury, and when any problems with the connection appear, they almost begin to panic.
In this article, we will discuss one of the quite common problems called “Wi-Fi Authentication Error” or Wi-Fi Connection Error on Android. Surely every user of an Android smartphone or tablet has encountered this. And now we will figure out how to get rid of this problem in various ways.
Reboot your device
One of the simplest and most commonplace methods is to reboot your smartphone. A reboot usually fixes minor system glitches, so maybe it will help you.
Enter the correct password
Consider the option when a connection error occurs exactly when you first connect to a specific Wi-Fi. Most often, the error appears when you enter the password incorrectly. To enter the correct password, click on the network you need and hold your finger on it until a window appears with two inscriptions: delete network, change network. Select “Change network” and enter the correct password.
You may like:
Please note that, for example, the characters “y” and “Y” are different characters. If the password consists of capital and small letters, then the password must be entered exactly, and not everything in small or capital letters.
Reconnect
If entering the password does not bring any results, try deleting the network and then connecting again. To do this, hold your finger on the network you need, and in the window that appears, click “Delete network”. Then turn Wi-Fi off and on and try connecting again.
Reboot the router
If the above options did not help, then the problem is not with the smartphone, but with the router.
First, try rebooting your router. To do this, you need to turn it off for 10 seconds and then turn it on again.
You can also try removing the password for a while. Let's look at how to do this using the example of a TP-Link router.
Open the browser and enter 192.168.0.1 or 192.168.1.1 in the address bar. The router menu will open.
If a window appears with the words “login” and “password”, enter the standard login - admin, password -admin.
Then go to the “Wireless Mode” tab, and below click on “Wireless Protection”.
At this point, select “Disable protection” and try to connect. The smartphone should connect immediately without entering a password.
If this doesn't help, check if your DHCP server is enabled. To do this, go to the DHCP section:
If the DHCP server is disabled, then you need to enable it, and that was the connection problem.
Other reasons
There are also small, but quite significant reasons why a Wi-Fi connection error occurs. For example, you are too far from the access point, and your phone sees this network, but cannot connect, and writes “Saved, protection.”
In general, this problem can be solved either by rebooting the router or rebooting the device. But there is a moment when you are not at home and are trying to connect to Wi-Fi somewhere in a cafe. Then there is a chance that the router is configured in such a way that you cannot connect to it.
Sometimes serious problems happen. For example, mechanical damage to the module. Then you have no choice but to take your smartphone to a service center.
You can also try updating the drivers for your router. Enter the exact model of your router into the search engine, download the drivers and install them. As a rule, drivers for your model can be found on the manufacturer's official website.
Conclusion
An authentication error occurs due to a malfunction of the smartphone or router. We have told you methods to fix this problem, which will not affect the operation of your phone or router in the future. Therefore, you can safely use these methods.
If none of these methods help, then it is a hardware problem. But to find out what exactly (phone or router), take another smartphone and try connecting from two phones, first to your Wi-Fi, then to the other. In this way you can understand which device is faulty. And in this case, you will have two options: either take the phone for repair or buy a new router.
More articles on the topic of the Guide.
Authentication problems often (but not always) arise from password issues. The device tries to check/authenticate the password you use to log into your WiFi network, and if the password is incorrect, it fails authentication and displays an authentication error message.
Below are all the methods we know of to solve this problem, supplemented by user solutions from the comments.
We recommend that you follow the instructions step by step, no matter how banal these actions may seem.
Authentication error when connecting to wifi on Android: what to do
Step 1: Password is correct
Passwords protect your network from unauthorized access; if you enter an incorrect password, you will not be able to establish a connection. Even if you know your password and are confident in it, there is a chance that you are entering it incorrectly. The password is case sensitive (lowercase and uppercase letters), so if you have capital letters or special characters, make sure that's what you enter.
Check the “Show password” box to ensure that you entered it correctly.
Step 2: Check the network name
Another thing that seems obvious, but you can get it wrong, so make sure you are trying to connect to the correct network, network names can be similar and differ slightly and can easily be mixed up. In any case, check and make sure you are connecting to the correct network.
Step 3: Reboot your router
There may be technical or software problems in the router (router), so turn off the router (router) for a few minutes and turn it on again.
Before entering your password, delete the network (to which you are connecting), this will ensure that the old password is not stored anywhere. To do this, click on the name of your network and hold for 2-3 seconds, a menu will appear. 
Step 4: Change the network security protocol
Try changing the security protocol in the network settings on the router, for example, if it is WPA, change it to WPA2 and vice versa. Then try connecting to a Wi-Fi network.
There is a possibility that your phone, due to hardware limitations or firmware flaws, may not work correctly with one or another security protocol. But to do this you will have to change the WiFi connection settings; if you do not have sufficient knowledge, it is better to skip this point.
As a replacement, try finding another phone and try to connect. 
Step 5: Use a Static IP Address
- Go to Android settings;
- Open Wi-Fi;
- Find the network you need here;
- Press and hold the touch on the name of the WiFi network, a menu with advanced settings will open, where you need to select “Change network”;
- Change the IP setting from DHCP to Static, that is, we change the operating mode, now the router will not assign us an IP address, but we will assign it manually;
- Now enter assign IP address 192.168.1.*** (add any number from 1 to 225 in ***). The address you enter depends on the model and settings of your router and provider. It is better to check with a knowledgeable specialist. As an option, the default router addressing for popular models can be viewed
Note!
If, on the contrary, you had a static IP address by default, change it to dhcp so that the router itself assigns the desired address
Step 6: Removing Outdated Files
Only for devices with root access
- Download and install ES File Explorer or Total Commander on your device;
- When prompted, give them root permissions;
- Go to Root explorer from the menu;
- Go to /data/misc/dhcp/ ;
- Delete all files there;
- Reboot your device and try to see if the problem is resolved.
No Internet: what to do?
Below are the options when there is no Internet on an Android phone, but this is not related to authentication.
Switch to airplane mode
This works on some phone models. Turn on airplane mode, wait 10 seconds and turn it off.
Is Bluetooth turned on?
Bluetooth can create a conflict with Wi-Fi (due to a factory defect or incorrect firmware), since some users have noted that on some phones, when Bluetooth is turned on, Wi-Fi does not work. So if you have bluetooth turned on, then why the hell not, turn it off and check the connection.
Energy saving mode
Power saving mode is designed to reduce the phone's battery consumption. Since, as you know, turned on Wi-Fi quickly drains the battery, so turning on the power saving mode can turn off your Wi-Fi (it all depends on the device model and firmware version). Make sure power saving mode is turned off. You can access the power saving mode in the menu Settings/Battery your phone.
Leave your solutions in the comments to help other users
Solving problems connecting to the Internet via WiFi on Android
Modern mobile devices may have different power levels and different functionality, but they are all designed to work with Wi-Fi and the Internet. And probably every user of a mobile gadget has at least once encountered a situation where a phone or tablet does not connect to a wireless network. In this article, we will look at typical errors that occur on Android devices when trying to connect to Wi-Fi, and we will tell you about methods for eliminating them.
Typical errors connecting to a Wi-Fi network
If you successfully connect to a wireless network, a message should appear under its name Connected. Any other signature indicates that it was not possible to connect to the network for one reason or another. In practice, when trying to connect to Wi-Fi, the following error messages are most often encountered:
- Message Saved.
- Messages Authentication Error or Authentication problem
- Infinitely stuck message Obtaining an IP address...
- An authentication error occurred.
"Saved" message below the network name
Most likely reason: Weak signal.
Solutions:
- try to reduce the distance to the access point. If the error disappears when the Android device approaches the access point, it means that it was observed due to the fact that the smartphone’s transmitter power was not enough. This, in turn, can be not only due to the large distance of the mobile device from the router, but also due to clogged airwaves - when there are many wireless devices and networks around.
- try changing the channel on the router to a freer one.
- try changing the channel width in the router settings.
"Authentication Error" or "Authentication Problem"
Reason #1: security mode and encryption type incompatible with the client device.
Solution: If the mode is WPA2-PSK, try changing it to WPA-PSK.
Reason #2: Invalid security key.
Typically, if the security key does not match, the Android device will prompt you to enter a password. However, there are other manifestations.
Solution: Please enter the correct security key. Be careful with layout and register. It is strictly forbidden to use the Cyrillic alphabet in SSIDs and passwords, and the registers can become confusing. If you are in doubt about your password, temporarily set a 10-digit key on your router.
Reason #3: weak signal.
Solution: check the network operation from a closer distance from the router. If the problem disappears when you approach the router, try to find a freer Wi-Fi channel and install it on the router. Then reconnect to the network.
Endless Obtaining an IP Address
Reason #1: weak signal.
Solution: try reducing the distance to the access point (read above in point 2.)
Reason #2: The MAC address filter is enabled on the router. Your device's MAC address is not whitelisted or blacklisted.
If receiving an IP address is blocked by a MAC address filter, errors may also appear on your smartphone:
- Failed to obtain IP address;
- Network is down due to slow internet connection.
Solution: add the MAC address of your device to the white list or remove it from the black list. If the router is not yours, ask your administrator to perform these steps.
"An authentication error occurred"
Reason #1: weak signal.
Solutions:
- If possible, reduce the distance to the access point;
- P try choosing a free channel.
Reason #2: Invalid network security key.
Solution: Enter the correct security key (read above in step 2.)
Below we provide a checklist for troubleshooting most wireless network problems. If you do not want to delve into each individual case described above, follow the steps listed sequentially. If after performing the action the problem is not resolved, move on to the next one.
- Disconnect from the wireless network on your Android device. To do this, click on the network name in the list and hold for more than a second. When the menu appears, select Forget the network. After that, connect to the network again by entering the security key.
- Reboot your router and Android device to eliminate the possibility of unexplained crashes and freezes. After rebooting the router and gadget, wait a couple of minutes and try to connect to Wi-Fi again.
- Check the correctness of the wireless network security key (popularly “Wi-Fi password”). Set the key to 10 random numbers so as not to get confused in layouts and registers.
- Check your MAC address filter settings. Try temporarily disabling the filter and connecting to the network.
- Check the region settings in your router. Please enter the correct region. Try choosing Russia, then the USA, then Chile. This may affect receiver sensitivity and transmitter power. Keep in mind that many router models may not have region settings.
- Install on the router security mode WPA2-PSK And AES encryption type. Save the settings and wait a couple of minutes. Delete the network on your Android device and try connecting to it again.
- Set mode Mixed 11b/g/n for maximum compatibility with various devices and standards. Save the settings and try to connect to the network after 2 minutes. For reference: if you install 802.11n only, only those devices that support the standard will be able to connect to the router n.
- Set the channel width setting to Auto. Save the settings and try connecting to the network again after a couple of minutes.
- Do a hard reset of the router and configure it from scratch. There are cases when this action corrects a router failure.
Illustrations for points 5 ,7 And 8 :
Cautions
Attention! Use only Latin characters and numbers in SSID and security keys! If you use Cyrillic in these fields, you may encounter the following problems:
- you will not be able to connect to Wi-Fi from client devices;
- The router may freeze and you will have to do a hard reset.
Remember! After making changes to any wireless network security settings on the router (key, security mode, encryption type), delete the network on Android devices and connect to the network again. Don’t wait for your smartphone or tablet to prompt you to log in to the network again. Yes, in some cases, Android OS detects the changed parameter better than Windows computers. But it may turn out that after changes on the router, your device will simply start generating authentication errors.
