docker terminal: waiting for an IP

I had the same issue. I managed to get past the problem through the following steps:

• Start the Oracle VM VirtualBox desktop application.
• Select and manually start default virtual machine.
• Close virtual machine window and choose to Send shutdown signal.
• Run Docker Quickstart Terminal.
• (optional) Right-click on default virtual machine and select Showin the Oracle VM VirtualBox desktop application to monitor virtual machine boot process.

After performing the steps above, I the Docker Quickstart Terminal window displayed:

                    ##         .
                  ## ## ##        ==
               ## ## ## ## ##    ===
           /"""""""""""""""""\___/ ===
      ~~~ {~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~~~~ ~~~ ~ /  ===- ~~~
           \______ o           __/
             \    \         __/
              \____\_______/

docker is configured to use the default machine with IP 192.168.99.100
For help getting started, check out the docs at https://docs.docker.com

Start interactive shell
...

This is an older thread but this is what worked for me in Windows 10 Home with Docker Toolbox. Docker was stuck in "Waiting for an IP".

1. Close all docker terminals.
2. Open VirtualBox, shut the docker instance down (if running), and remove it.
3. Start Docker Quickstart Terminal with Administrator Rights and wait for it to set everything up. This is the step that docker was previously getting stuck in.
4. (Optional) If you are curious to see what is happening behind the scenes, you can choose "Show" on the (now 'running') docker VM in VirtualBox.
5. Once 'docker' finishes booting, you can close the docker terminal and run it again without Admin rights.