How to Fix WiFi Not Working on an Android Tablet: Band Selection, Static IP, DNS Fixes, and Network Reset for Samsung, Lenovo, and Pixel Tablets

Android tablet WiFi failures come in several flavors: the network shows as “Saved, Secured” but never connects; it connects but shows “Connected, no internet”; or it connects fine and then drops the connection every few minutes. Each symptom points to a different root cause. This guide works through the full fix sequence for Samsung Galaxy Tab, Lenovo Tab, and Google Pixel Tablet — from quick band-selection changes to static IP configuration and a full network reset. Run a speed test once you restore connectivity to confirm you’re actually getting the speeds you pay for.

Step 1: Check Which Band Your Tablet Is Connecting To

Most Android tablets support both 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz WiFi, but some budget models only support 2.4 GHz. If your tablet is trying to connect to a 5 GHz network it can’t actually use, or if it’s on a congested 2.4 GHz band, you’ll see slow speeds or unstable connections. First, confirm your tablet’s WiFi generation in Settings > About tablet > Hardware information — look for the WiFi spec (e.g., 802.11ac = WiFi 5 = both bands supported; 802.11n = WiFi 4 = 2.4 GHz only on some devices).

If your router uses band steering (both bands share one SSID), force the bands to use separate names. Most routers let you do this in the admin panel under Wireless Settings. Add “_5G” to one SSID and “_2.4G” to the other, then connect your tablet explicitly to the band it supports. For a full breakdown of which band is right for different situations, see our guide on 2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz vs 6 GHz.

Step 2: Forget the Network and Reconnect

A corrupted saved network profile is one of the most common causes of “Saved, Secured” failures. The fix is simple but easy to overlook:

1. Go to Settings > WiFi (or Connections > WiFi on Samsung).
2. Long-press the network name and tap Forget (Samsung) or tap the gear icon and select Forget (Pixel/stock Android).
3. Restart the tablet, then reconnect by entering the password fresh.

On Samsung Galaxy Tab models (Tab S9, Tab S8, Tab A9), go to Settings > Connections > WiFi, tap the network name, then the gear icon, and select Forget. On Lenovo Tab P12 and M10 series, the path is Settings > Network & Internet > Internet, then tap the gear icon next to the network.

Step 3: Fix “Connected, No Internet” with a Static IP

Android uses DHCP to automatically get an IP address from your router. If two devices claim the same IP, or if the DHCP lease fails, you’ll see a “Connected, no internet” error even with full signal bars. Setting a static IP bypasses the DHCP process entirely and resolves this reliably.

How to Set a Static IP on Android

1. Go to Settings > WiFi and tap the gear icon next to your connected network.
2. Tap IP settings (or Advanced > IP settings) and change it from DHCP to Static.
3. Enter an IP address outside your router’s DHCP range — for example, if your router assigns 192.168.1.2–192.168.1.100, use 192.168.1.150.
4. Set the Gateway to your router’s IP (usually 192.168.1.1 or 192.168.0.1 — check the label on your router).
5. Set Network prefix length to 24.
6. Enter DNS servers in the next step (see Step 4 below).

On Samsung devices running One UI 6 or later, the path is Settings > Connections > WiFi > [network gear icon] > View more > IP settings > Static.

Step 4: Switch to a Public DNS Server

Your router’s default DNS server can be slow or intermittently fail, causing pages and apps to time out even when your connection is otherwise working. Google’s DNS (8.8.8.8 and 8.8.4.4) and Cloudflare’s DNS (1.1.1.1 and 1.0.0.1) are faster and more reliable than most ISP-provided DNS servers.

If you’re using a static IP (Step 3), enter these values directly into the DNS 1 and DNS 2 fields. If you’re staying on DHCP, use Android’s Private DNS feature instead: go to Settings > Network & Internet > Private DNS, select Private DNS provider hostname, and enter 1.1.1.1.cloudflare-dns.com (Cloudflare) or dns.google (Google). This setting applies system-wide regardless of which network you’re connected to. For more background on DNS and speed, see our guide on how to change your DNS server for faster internet.

Step 5: Disable MAC Randomization

Android 10 and later randomize your tablet’s MAC address each time it connects to a new network, and re-randomize periodically. This privacy feature can conflict with routers that use MAC-based access control, DHCP reservations, or parental controls. If your tablet connects successfully on some networks but not yours, MAC randomization is a likely culprit.

To disable it for a specific network on stock Android (Pixel Tablet): go to Settings > Network & Internet > Internet, tap the gear icon next to your WiFi network, tap Privacy, and change it from Use randomized MAC to Use device MAC. On Samsung (One UI 6): go to Settings > Connections > WiFi > [gear icon] > View more > MAC address type > Phone MAC. Forget and reconnect after changing this setting.

Step 6: Run a Network Reset

If none of the above steps resolve the issue, a full network settings reset clears all saved WiFi passwords, Bluetooth pairings, and mobile data configurations. This is more disruptive than forgetting a single network but resolves deeper OS-level bugs that can cause persistent WiFi failures.

Samsung Galaxy Tab (One UI 6)

Go to Settings > General management > Reset > Reset network settings. Tap Reset settings and confirm. You will need to re-enter WiFi passwords for all saved networks.

Lenovo Tab (Android 13/14)

Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Reset WiFi, mobile & Bluetooth. Tap Reset settings. On some Lenovo Tab P and M series running their custom UI, this option is under Settings > Additional settings > Backup & reset > Network settings reset.

Google Pixel Tablet

Go to Settings > System > Reset options > Reset WiFi, mobile & Bluetooth. Tap Reset settings. Pixel devices run near-stock Android, so the path is consistent across Android 14 and later.

Step 7: Check Router Compatibility and Firmware

Some Android tablets have known compatibility issues with specific router firmware versions or security protocols. If your router is set to WPA3-only mode, older Android tablets (pre-Android 10) may fail to connect — switch your router to WPA2/WPA3 transitional mode. Also verify your router firmware is current: outdated firmware sometimes causes specific clients to fail DHCP or 802.11r fast roaming negotiation incorrectly. See our guide on how to update router firmware for step-by-step instructions for TP-Link, ASUS, Netgear, and Eero. For a deeper look at WPA2 vs WPA3, see our WiFi security explainer.

Quick-Reference Fix Checklist

1. Confirm your tablet supports the band you’re connecting to (2.4 GHz vs 5 GHz)
2. Forget the network, restart the tablet, reconnect fresh
3. Set a static IP outside your router’s DHCP range
4. Switch DNS to 8.8.8.8 / 8.8.4.4 or use Private DNS with cloudflare-dns.com
5. Disable MAC randomization for the network (use device MAC instead)
6. Run a full network reset (saves WiFi passwords lost — note them first)
7. Set router security to WPA2/WPA3 transitional and update router firmware

Working through these steps in order resolves WiFi failures on Android tablets in the vast majority of cases. Once you’re reconnected, run a speed test from your tablet to confirm throughput is matching what your other devices get — a significant gap suggests the band or channel is still suboptimal even if the connection is stable.