Sometimes when you try to access a wireless network, an authentication error occurs. This is a common problem that many Android tablet and smartphone users face. What is annoying is the fact that this error appears even if you have entered the correct password. This could be extremely annoying if you need to do something urgently like send an important email or access a file online. The situation gets worse if you can't even use mobile data, for whatever reason, as there could be a bug that will end up ruining the experience. Wi-Fi authentication failure is not necessarily an isolated problem and could signal something wrong with your Android device or your wireless network, or both. In this guide we will help you with these Android Wi-Fi authentication problems. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay You can try one of the proposed solutions and your problem will be solved in the blink of an eye. If not, there are many other ways you can solve your puzzles Understanding Android Wi-Fi Authentication Problems An Android Wi-Fi authentication problem occurs when you are unable to connect to a Wi-Fi network even though the password inserted is completely valid. Instead of connecting to the network and saving the password for later, the device tells you that it is authenticating. After a while you're told there's an authentication problem or you see an authentication error under the name of the network you're trying to connect to. The first thing most people do is re-enter their password, to make sure that the password they entered is actually correct. Unfortunately, sometimes you know for sure that the password is valid, especially if it's the home network you always connect to. If so, the problem may be deeper than what can be seen with the naked eye. We've compiled a list of possible solutions to help you understand what caused these Wi-Fi authentication problems in the first place and help you fix them. Troubleshoot Android Wi-Fi Authentication Error What works for one device, may not work for the other. This is because there could be several underlying issues that have led to this problem. If you are sure that your password is correct and that your other devices are connecting to your wireless network correctly, there is likely a software issue or pairing issue that is preventing you from connecting your device to a Wi-Fi network. Reset Android Wi-Fi ConnectionThe first solution you can try is to reset the connection between your Android device and the wireless router. Simply remove the wireless network from your Android device and add it back as a new connection. This solution usually works for most Android Wi-Fi authentication problems. Go to the Settings app on your device and look for Wi-Fi under Network Connections. Search for the network you are trying to connect to and long-press the name of the network or its SSID. A popup menu will appear with two options: change network configuration or forget network. Choose the "forgotten network" Move far enough away from the Wi-Fi router so that you only get one bar of signal. Then try to reconnect to the network and enter your password again. If all goes well, the password will be authenticated and your device will be connected to the network. If this solution doesn't work for you, try the next one. Checking your wireless name In most cases, the “authentication failed” error message appears when network details such as username and password do not match. You might be surethat the password is correct, but you could try connecting to a different network with the same name. For example, your neighbor's router name might be the same as yours. If you are coincidentally trying to connect to another wireless network with the same name using your password, you will definitely receive the Android Wi-Fi authentication error. To avoid this problem, just rename your wireless network. Changing your wireless network configuration No matter what device you are trying to connect to a wireless router, an IP conflict will prevent you from connecting. This also applies to Android devices. To resolve this issue, change your Android device's wireless network setting from the default DHCP setting to Static IP. Go to the Settings app on your Android device and select Wi-Fi as above. Long-press the network you want to connect to, then select Change network configuration in the pop-up menu. Some devices display this option as "change network connection". Go to the next box for advanced options and look for IP settings. Change it from DHCP to Static. You will be shown an IP Address field. Copy the information shown in the Static IP field and then delete it. Re-enter the information and save it. If you have doubts about the IP address, Netmask, gateway and DNS to enter, ask your Internet service provider for assistance. Disable Mac filtering on your router or add your Wi-Fi address You should also check to see if anyone has recently enabled Mac filtering on your Wi-Fi router settings. You need to contact your network administrator to disable it or add your Wi-Fi address to the network which should be able to fix the problem. Select airplane mode We usually don't use airplane mode unless we don't want to be disturbed or we're actually on a plane. Did you know that this mode can actually fix your Wi-Fi problems? Sometimes your mobile network interferes with your Wi-Fi connection. Try the following: On your Android device, select "Quick Settings" and turn off Wi-Fi and mobile network. Turn on airplane mode. The setting is found in the Quick Settings menu. While airplane mode is on, turn on Wi-Fi and try connecting to the network again. If the connection is successful, turn off airplane mode and also enable mobile network. This method might seem strange but it works by resolving a potential conflict between the wireless network and the mobile network. Reset Network on Android Sometimes it might be tricky to find out what exactly is causing the Wi-Fi network authentication error. A simple solution is to simply destroy your network settings. Nuking means updating all your network settings, including your wireless network, mobile network, and Bluetooth connections. Go to the Settings app on your Android device and go to “Backup & Reset.” Go to the “Reset Network Settings” option in the menu. There will be a "Reset Settings" button. Press it and wait for the process to complete. Once done, go back to the Wi-Fi menu and try connecting again. You will not lose any important data during this reset, but all network details will be erased. Update your Android software Sometimes the problem can be solved by making sure your phone's software is up to date. If you delay the update, you may experience Wi-Fi disconnection issues. Go to the Settings app on your Android device and go to the "About phone" tab. You'll see a menu option called "System Updates" or "Updates." It will show available updates for your device. Some Android devices have a separate System Updates tab in the Settings or menu.