adb connect Connection Refused on Port 5555: How to Fix
Why adb connect fails with Connection refused or "unable to connect to 192.168.x.x:5555", how to tell it apart from a timeout, and how to fix it on any Android version.
You run adb connect 192.168.1.20 and get:
failed to connect to '192.168.1.20:5555': Connection refusedConnection refused means the phone answered, but nothing on it is listening on that port. The network is fine. The phone's ADB service is simply not in network mode, or it is listening on a different port. The fix is almost always to switch network mode on again.
Refused is not the same as timed out
| Error | What it means | Where to look |
|---|---|---|
Connection refused | The phone is reachable, the port is closed | The phone's ADB network mode or port |
Connection timed out / No route to host | The phone did not answer at all | Wrong IP, different network, Wi-Fi isolation, phone asleep |
failed to authenticate / unauthorized | Connected, but the phone did not approve this computer | Accept the prompt on the phone |
Cause 1: the phone restarted (Android 10 and older)
adb tcpip 5555 only lasts until the next restart. After a reboot the phone goes back to USB-only mode and refuses network connections. This is the most common cause.
Fix: plug the phone in by USB once and run:
adb tcpip 5555
adb connect 192.168.1.20:5555Wait a second or two after adb tcpip before connecting, because the phone restarts its ADB service.
Cause 2: Wireless debugging uses a different port (Android 11+)
With Wireless debugging the port is not 5555. It is random and changes every time you switch the setting on. Open Developer options › Wireless debugging and use the IP address & Port shown at the top:
adb connect 192.168.1.20:41237Also note that the pairing port (shown after "Pair device with pairing code") is different again and only works with adb pair.
Cause 3: Wireless debugging switched itself off
Android turns Wireless debugging off when you leave the Wi-Fi network, and on some phones after a restart or a period of inactivity. Switch it on again. Your computer stays paired, so you only need adb connect.
Cause 4: you typed the wrong address
If the address belongs to another device on the network, such as a router or a TV, it may refuse the connection too. Check the phone's address in Settings › Wi-Fi › your network or under Wireless debugging. Phones can get a new IP from the router, so set a DHCP reservation if you connect often.
Cause 5: a firewall or VPN on the phone
Some security apps, work profiles and VPNs block incoming connections. Pause them and try again.
Fix it in ADBKit
ADBKit's TCP/IP connection tells the two cases apart. When the phone refuses, it says that network mode is off, which happens at every restart, and offers Plug in by USB and switch it on again. One click does the adb tcpip step for you over USB, then connects over the network. When the phone does not answer at all, it shows the network checks instead. This needs the ADBKit agent 1.2.0 or newer on your computer.
Quick checklist
- Phone restarted since you ran
adb tcpip? Plug in and run it again. - On Android 11+? Use the port shown on the Wireless debugging screen, not 5555.
- Wireless debugging still on? Phone still on the same Wi-Fi?
- Is that IP really the phone's?
More background in how to use ADB without a USB cable and ADB over Wi-Fi.