Google Authenticator Problem contacting Google's server.

[Android Central Question]

Google authenticator appears to have malfunctioned on my phone(LG3) as the codes are not working. This has happened before and the simple fix was under Settings>Time correction for codes<Sync now. However now when I do that I get the message "There was a problem contacting Google's server. Please check your network settings and try again".

I have spent hours searching and applying possible fixes that I have read online, but none of them work. This includes:

1. Trying multiple wifi networks/resetting router, leaving off for 15 mins
2. Trying a new networks sim card
3. Resetting phones time, making sure its on automatic time.
4. Deleting google accounts off phone and re-adding.
5. Clearing cache/data, force stop for all relevant google apps as well as download manager.
6. Reinstalling Google Play Services from apkmirror
7. Rooting phone to edit the host file to 127.0.0.1 localhost

I am really starting to become desperate about this now and would really appreciate any ideas. Thanks

 

[B. Diddy]

Welcome to Android Central! Try going to myaccount.google.com/signinoptions/two-step-verification on your computer browser and either Change Phone in the Authenticator section, or click the garbage can icon there and set it back up again.

 

[Myos]

Thanks for your reply, B. Diddy.

I have tried this and while at first hopeful, it appears clicking Change Phone only adds a code for your google account to a different phone. It does not migrate over existing non-google account codes or refresh them. As well the garbage can icon only removes 2FA from my google account.

I appreciate your effort in helping me find a solution and am still putting in hours every day to try and fix this problem, if anyone has any more ideas.

 

[B. Diddy]

Hmm. So if you remove 2FA, and then add it back again, the same problem persists?

 

[Myos]

Correct. Removing the 2FA on that page just removes the requirement of the code from my google account, not the entire app. The issue I am having seems to be with the Google authenticator app having codes one or more 30-second cycles older than what my non-google accounts are using. Why suddenly I am unable to sync the app to align with my non-google accounts is the mystery. That is what prompts the error message:
"Sync now
There was a problem contacting Google's server. Please check your network's settings and try again."

I made an account on this website because I read older androidcentral discussions with various solutions, all of which I have tried with no success (the attempts outlined in my first post). I am hoping someone has some idea what may be causing this. Thanks again.

 

[Myos]

*cries for help*

 

[B. Diddy]

I can see that you've already tried pretty much everything that's been mentioned in the search results that I get. The next step might be a factory reset.