169.254.XX.XXX link local ip on raspberry pu

Hi,

When using painlessmeshboost on a raspberry pi and the starthere code on the esp, I sometimes get the pi to connect to the mesh, but the rest of the time i get an IP address in the forme 169.254... From what I read this is link local ip due to the fact that the DHCP server on the ESP is unable to give an IP. I tried connecting my phone to the ESP and i does not connect (when the arspberry pi manages to get the proper IP from the ESP, the phone works as well) at all telling me the issue is from the ESP and not the raspberry pi

Any ideas?