diff --git a/ports/atmel-samd/background.c b/ports/atmel-samd/background.c
index f25ec7200d..385f0c2843 100644
--- a/ports/atmel-samd/background.c
+++ b/ports/atmel-samd/background.c
@@ -31,6 +31,7 @@
 #include "usb_mass_storage.h"
 
 #include "shared-module/displayio/__init__.h"
+#include "shared-module/network/__init__.h"
 
 volatile uint64_t last_finished_tick = 0;
 
@@ -41,6 +42,9 @@ void run_background_tasks(void) {
     #ifdef CIRCUITPY_DISPLAYIO
     displayio_refresh_display();
     #endif
+    #ifdef MICROPY_PY_NETWORK
+    network_module_background();
+    #endif
     usb_msc_background();
     usb_cdc_background();
     last_finished_tick = ticks_ms;
diff --git a/shared-bindings/wiznet/wiznet5k.c b/shared-bindings/wiznet/wiznet5k.c
index 1dba5f3808..4e5fff8693 100644
--- a/shared-bindings/wiznet/wiznet5k.c
+++ b/shared-bindings/wiznet/wiznet5k.c
@@ -66,17 +66,17 @@ STATIC mp_obj_t wiznet5k_make_new(const mp_obj_type_t *type, size_t n_args, size
     return wiznet5k_create(args[0], args[1], args[2]);
 }
 
+//| .. attribute:: connected
+//|
+//|   is this device physically connected?
+//|
+
 STATIC mp_obj_t wiznet5k_connected_get_value(mp_obj_t self_in) {
     (void)self_in;
     return mp_obj_new_bool(wizphy_getphylink() == PHY_LINK_ON);
 }
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_1(wiznet5k_connected_get_value_obj, wiznet5k_connected_get_value);
 
-//| .. attribute:: connected
-//|
-//|   is this device physically connected?
-//|
-
 const mp_obj_property_t wiznet5k_connected_obj = {
     .base.type = &mp_type_property,
     .proxy = {(mp_obj_t)&wiznet5k_connected_get_value_obj,
@@ -84,6 +84,36 @@ const mp_obj_property_t wiznet5k_connected_obj = {
               (mp_obj_t)&mp_const_none_obj},
 };
 
+//| .. attribute:: dhcp
+//|
+//|   is DHCP active on this device? (set to true to activate DHCP, false to turn it off)
+//|
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t wiznet5k_dhcp_get_value(mp_obj_t self_in) {
+    (void)self_in;
+    return mp_obj_new_bool(wiznet5k_check_dhcp());
+}
+
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_1(wiznet5k_dhcp_get_value_obj, wiznet5k_dhcp_get_value);
+
+STATIC mp_obj_t wiznet5k_dhcp_set_value(mp_obj_t self_in, mp_obj_t value) {
+    (void)self_in;
+    if (mp_obj_is_true(value)) {
+        wiznet5k_start_dhcp();
+    } else {
+        wiznet5k_stop_dhcp();
+    }
+    return mp_const_none;
+}
+STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_2(wiznet5k_dhcp_set_value_obj, wiznet5k_dhcp_set_value);
+
+const mp_obj_property_t wiznet5k_dhcp_obj = {
+    .base.type = &mp_type_property,
+    .proxy = {(mp_obj_t)&wiznet5k_dhcp_get_value_obj,
+              (mp_obj_t)&wiznet5k_dhcp_set_value_obj,
+              (mp_obj_t)&mp_const_none_obj},
+};
+
 //| .. method:: ifconfig(...)
 //|
 //|   Called without parameters, returns a tuple of
@@ -121,6 +151,7 @@ STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_FUN_OBJ_VAR_BETWEEN(wiznet5k_ifconfig_obj, 1, 2, wiznet5k
 STATIC const mp_rom_map_elem_t wiznet5k_locals_dict_table[] = {
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_ifconfig), MP_ROM_PTR(&wiznet5k_ifconfig_obj) },
     { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_connected), MP_ROM_PTR(&wiznet5k_connected_obj) },
+    { MP_ROM_QSTR(MP_QSTR_dhcp), MP_ROM_PTR(&wiznet5k_dhcp_obj) },
 };
 
 STATIC MP_DEFINE_CONST_DICT(wiznet5k_locals_dict, wiznet5k_locals_dict_table);
@@ -146,6 +177,7 @@ const mod_network_nic_type_t mod_network_nic_type_wiznet5k = {
     .setsockopt = wiznet5k_socket_setsockopt,
     .settimeout = wiznet5k_socket_settimeout,
     .ioctl = wiznet5k_socket_ioctl,
+    .timer_tick = wiznet5k_socket_timer_tick,
 };
 
 #endif // MICROPY_PY_WIZNET5K
diff --git a/shared-module/network/__init__.c b/shared-module/network/__init__.c
index 6a955a0c40..a674e8478d 100644
--- a/shared-module/network/__init__.c
+++ b/shared-module/network/__init__.c
@@ -24,6 +24,8 @@
  * THE SOFTWARE.
  */
 
+#include <stdio.h>
+
 #include "py/objlist.h"
 #include "py/runtime.h"
 #include "py/mphal.h"
@@ -31,6 +33,8 @@
 
 #include "shared-bindings/random/__init__.h"
 
+#include "shared-module/network/__init__.h"
+
 // mod_network_nic_list needs to be declared in mpconfigport.h 
 
 
@@ -41,6 +45,19 @@ void network_module_init(void) {
 void network_module_deinit(void) {
 }
 
+void network_module_background(void) {
+    static uint32_t next_tick = 0;
+    uint32_t this_tick = ticks_ms;
+    if (this_tick < next_tick) return;
+    next_tick = this_tick + 1000;
+
+    for (mp_uint_t i = 0; i < MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list).len; i++) {
+        mp_obj_t nic = MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list).items[i];
+        mod_network_nic_type_t *nic_type = (mod_network_nic_type_t*)mp_obj_get_type(nic); 
+        if (nic_type->timer_tick != NULL) nic_type->timer_tick(nic);
+    }
+}
+
 void network_module_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic) {
     for (mp_uint_t i = 0; i < MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list).len; i++) {
         if (MP_STATE_PORT(mod_network_nic_list).items[i] == nic) {
diff --git a/shared-module/network/__init__.h b/shared-module/network/__init__.h
index ce5b4e6d31..00a3c39575 100644
--- a/shared-module/network/__init__.h
+++ b/shared-module/network/__init__.h
@@ -61,6 +61,7 @@ typedef struct _mod_network_nic_type_t {
     int (*setsockopt)(struct _mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket, mp_uint_t level, mp_uint_t opt, const void *optval, mp_uint_t optlen, int *_errno);
     int (*settimeout)(struct _mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket, mp_uint_t timeout_ms, int *_errno);
     int (*ioctl)(struct _mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket, mp_uint_t request, mp_uint_t arg, int *_errno);
+    void (*timer_tick)(struct _mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket);
 } mod_network_nic_type_t;
 
 typedef struct _mod_network_socket_obj_t {
@@ -82,6 +83,7 @@ extern const mod_network_nic_type_t mod_network_nic_type_cc3k;
 
 void network_module_init(void);
 void network_module_deinit(void);
+void network_module_background(void);
 void network_module_register_nic(mp_obj_t nic);
 mp_obj_t network_module_find_nic(const uint8_t *ip);
 
diff --git a/shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.c b/shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.c
index 5c311bf496..ee732859af 100644
--- a/shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.c
+++ b/shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.c
@@ -50,16 +50,7 @@
 #include "internet/dns/dns.h"
 #include "internet/dhcp/dhcp.h"
 
-typedef struct _wiznet5k_obj_t {
-    mp_obj_base_t base;
-    mp_uint_t cris_state;
-    busio_spi_obj_t *spi;
-    digitalio_digitalinout_obj_t cs;
-    digitalio_digitalinout_obj_t rst;
-    uint8_t socket_used;
-} wiznet5k_obj_t;
-
-static wiznet5k_obj_t wiznet5k_obj;
+#include "shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.h"
 
 STATIC wiznet5k_obj_t wiznet5k_obj;
 
@@ -326,22 +317,34 @@ int wiznet5k_socket_ioctl(mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket, mp_uint_t request, m
     }
 }
 
-static void wiznet5k_try_dhcp(void) {
-    DHCP_INIT_BUFFER_TYPE dhcp_buf[DHCP_INIT_BUFFER_SIZE];
-
-    // Set up the socket to listen on UDP 68 before calling DHCP_init
-    WIZCHIP_EXPORT(socket)(0, MOD_NETWORK_SOCK_DGRAM, DHCP_CLIENT_PORT, 0);
-    DHCP_init(0, dhcp_buf);
-
-    // try a few times for DHCP ... XXX this should be asynchronous.
-    for (int i=0; i<10; i++) {
+void wiznet5k_socket_timer_tick(mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket) {
+    if (wiznet5k_obj.dhcp_active) {
         DHCP_time_handler();
-        int dhcp_state = DHCP_run();
-        if (dhcp_state == DHCP_IP_LEASED || dhcp_state == DHCP_IP_CHANGED) break;
-        mp_hal_delay_ms(1000);
+        DHCP_run();
     }
-    DHCP_stop();
-    WIZCHIP_EXPORT(close)(0);
+}
+
+void wiznet5k_start_dhcp(void) {
+    static DHCP_INIT_BUFFER_TYPE dhcp_buf[DHCP_INIT_BUFFER_SIZE];
+
+    if (!wiznet5k_obj.dhcp_active) {
+        // Set up the socket to listen on UDP 68 before calling DHCP_init
+        WIZCHIP_EXPORT(socket)(0, MOD_NETWORK_SOCK_DGRAM, DHCP_CLIENT_PORT, 0);
+        DHCP_init(0, dhcp_buf);
+        wiznet5k_obj.dhcp_active = 1;
+    }
+}
+
+void wiznet5k_stop_dhcp(void) {
+    if (wiznet5k_obj.dhcp_active) {
+        wiznet5k_obj.dhcp_active = 0;
+        DHCP_stop();
+        WIZCHIP_EXPORT(close)(0);
+    }
+}
+
+bool wiznet5k_check_dhcp(void) {
+    return wiznet5k_obj.dhcp_active;
 }
 
 /// Create and return a WIZNET5K object.
@@ -391,7 +394,7 @@ mp_obj_t wiznet5k_create(mp_obj_t spi_in, mp_obj_t cs_in, mp_obj_t rst_in) {
     // seems we need a small delay after init
     mp_hal_delay_ms(250);
 
-    wiznet5k_try_dhcp();
+    wiznet5k_start_dhcp();
 
     // register with network module
     network_module_register_nic(&wiznet5k_obj);
diff --git a/shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.h b/shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.h
index f3e3dcfe11..1284a44fd1 100644
--- a/shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.h
+++ b/shared-module/wiznet/wiznet5k.h
@@ -39,6 +39,7 @@ typedef struct _wiznet5k_obj_t {
     digitalio_digitalinout_obj_t cs;
     digitalio_digitalinout_obj_t rst;
     uint8_t socket_used;
+    bool dhcp_active;
 } wiznet5k_obj_t;
 
 int wiznet5k_gethostbyname(mp_obj_t nic, const char *name, mp_uint_t len, uint8_t *out_ip);
@@ -55,9 +56,14 @@ mp_uint_t wiznet5k_socket_recvfrom(mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket, byte *buf,
 int wiznet5k_socket_setsockopt(mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket, mp_uint_t level, mp_uint_t opt, const void *optval, mp_uint_t optlen, int *_errno);
 int wiznet5k_socket_settimeout(mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket, mp_uint_t timeout_ms, int *_errno);
 int wiznet5k_socket_ioctl(mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket, mp_uint_t request, mp_uint_t arg, int *_errno);
+void wiznet5k_socket_timer_tick(mod_network_socket_obj_t *socket);
 mp_obj_t wiznet5k_socket_disconnect(mp_obj_t self_in);
 mp_obj_t wiznet5k_create(mp_obj_t spi_in, mp_obj_t cs_in, mp_obj_t rst_in);
 
+void wiznet5k_start_dhcp(void);
+void wiznet5k_stop_dhcp(void);
+bool wiznet5k_check_dhcp(void);
+
 extern const mod_network_nic_type_t mod_network_nic_type_wiznet5k;
 
 #endif // MICROPY_INCLUDED_SHARED_MODULE_WIZNET_WIZNET5K_H