Google starts rolling out the fix to the bug that crashes Wi-Fi networks. The update will resolve the traffic overload caused by Chromecast and Google Home devices.
Before Google's acknowledgment of the issue, several users reported Wi-Fi network troubles when connecting the Google Home Max speaker, for example. The network router would force restart and a wireless connection would be rendered inaccessible. The same was observed with Chromecast devices.
Google is hoping that with the update now live, the problem will disappear.
"The team has identified the issue and is actively releasing a fix, which will start rolling out via a Google Play services update this Thursday, January 18," the company said on its support page.
Without the fix, Google warned that people with an Android phone and a Chromecast built-in device (such as a Chromecast or Google Home device) on the same Wi-Fi network may experience this issue. The company said the software bump will automatically install on devices running the Android operating system.
The Bug
Initially, Google issued a vague assessment of the network issue. Fortunately, a better explanation was offered by TP-Link, maker of the Archer C7 router, which, according to a user report, experienced connectivity troubles when a Home Max speaker was connected to its network.
On its part, TP-Link said the network crashes were triggered by a glitch traced on the MDNS or feature of the Cast devices. Normally, multicast discovery packets are essential to maintaining live connection but the bug on Max speaker, for instance, led to the rapid transmission of large amounts of packets.
TP-Link said the burst of packets transmitted amounted to more than 100,000 and in quick succession and as a result, the said router crashed. The company, however, immediately fixed the issue with a firmware update.
It turned out, though, that the problem was not exclusive with the hardware from TP-Link or any other router makers. Google finally admitted that a bug exists in the Cast devices.
"In certain situations, a bug in the Cast software on Android phones may incorrectly send a large amount of network traffic which can slow down or temporarily impact Wi-Fi networks. The specific impact to the network will vary depending on the router," the company acknowledged.
As of posting, the software update is expected to be rolling out as announced by Google on its support page. For specific regions not yet reached by the promised fix, an APK mirror is already offering the update for manual download and installation.
