Issue in Google's Cast-enabled devices, including Chromecast causing home Wi-Fi outages, r...
Google's Chromecast and Home devices are reportedly causing issues with some Wi-Fi networks, with the Cast-enabled hardware like the Google Home Max flooding the network with packets of data after waking from 'sleep mode,' a problem Google is working to rectify.
Users affected by Wi-Fi dropouts have complained to router providers about the problem, which effectively causes Wi-Fi connections to drop for devices on the network. Myce reports the problem occurs with a variety of different router brands, including Asus, Linksys, Netgear, Synology, and TP-Link -- with some of the afflicted routers crashing entirely, and necessitating a power-cycle to fix the problem.
AppleInsider's testing confirms Apple's AirPort Extreme base station can be affected by the issue, though it only slows down the network rather than causing crashes or full outages. A Chromecast awoken from sleep after 12 hours caused about two minutes of slow-down, with one sleeping for an hour only impacting the network for a few seconds.
An engineer from TP-Link explained the issue as one where the Cast feature misuses MDNS multicast discovery packets, which are typically used to discover and keep a live connection between Google products and Cast-enabled apps. Typically, these are sent out at an interval of 20 seconds, but TP-Link found that there are times when the devices broadcast large numbers of the packets in quick succession.
It has been found that these packet bursts occur when a Cast-enabled device wakes from a sleep state, with the burst potentially exceeding more than 100,000 packets before dying down. It is also noted that the packet burst grows over time, with more packets sent out in one go the longer the device remains in sleep mode.
Router manufacturers have started to issue firmware to prevent the packet bursts from overwhelming the network and causing disruption. TP-Link also note that the issue can be temporarily solved by rebooting the affected device to release its memory, and by also disabling Cast on Android devices until a permanent fix is provided.
Initial reports over the issue indicated the Google Home Max was the main device causing Wi-Fi problems, but it has since been revealed a wider array of devices are affected, including varieties of the Chromecast.
A Google spokesperson told Engadget that "we're aware that a small number of users are having issues and our team is working quickly to share a solution."
Users affected by Wi-Fi dropouts have complained to router providers about the problem, which effectively causes Wi-Fi connections to drop for devices on the network. Myce reports the problem occurs with a variety of different router brands, including Asus, Linksys, Netgear, Synology, and TP-Link -- with some of the afflicted routers crashing entirely, and necessitating a power-cycle to fix the problem.
AppleInsider's testing confirms Apple's AirPort Extreme base station can be affected by the issue, though it only slows down the network rather than causing crashes or full outages. A Chromecast awoken from sleep after 12 hours caused about two minutes of slow-down, with one sleeping for an hour only impacting the network for a few seconds.
An engineer from TP-Link explained the issue as one where the Cast feature misuses MDNS multicast discovery packets, which are typically used to discover and keep a live connection between Google products and Cast-enabled apps. Typically, these are sent out at an interval of 20 seconds, but TP-Link found that there are times when the devices broadcast large numbers of the packets in quick succession.
It has been found that these packet bursts occur when a Cast-enabled device wakes from a sleep state, with the burst potentially exceeding more than 100,000 packets before dying down. It is also noted that the packet burst grows over time, with more packets sent out in one go the longer the device remains in sleep mode.
Router manufacturers have started to issue firmware to prevent the packet bursts from overwhelming the network and causing disruption. TP-Link also note that the issue can be temporarily solved by rebooting the affected device to release its memory, and by also disabling Cast on Android devices until a permanent fix is provided.
Initial reports over the issue indicated the Google Home Max was the main device causing Wi-Fi problems, but it has since been revealed a wider array of devices are affected, including varieties of the Chromecast.
A Google spokesperson told Engadget that "we're aware that a small number of users are having issues and our team is working quickly to share a solution."
Comments
Because I would never put a damn Google device in my house. Or an Amazon one. It's unbelievable how stupid people are about this stuff. If you told them "Facebook will sell you a video camera for the inside of your house", they'd get the point. But they will buy devices with active microphones from companies whose whole business model is the commercialize information about you. Yeah, I know the Chromecast doesn't have a microphone. It's still from a company who makes 99% of its money by tracking you.
I have a Google Mini, but I can flip the switch on it and turn off the Mic. I also have Alexa from my Ecobee 4. This is so that I can play around with them and Siri and compare for myself. I am a growing Homekit house. You would think Alexa would be the easiest to use on the Ecobee 4 as it's built in. It's not!!! It doesn't even know the Ecobee exists without installing the Ecobee Plus skill by having to go to Amazon. To do something as simple as change the temp, Siri or Google are actually easier to use then Alexa!!!
These are the things you learn trying them all. At $30 for the Mini, it wasn't a big deal. Siri on the Apple Watch is the BEST solution for my needs. It does most everything they do, but it works everywhere I'm at. When I can llift my wrist and say :Hey Siri" and open or close my garage door, or turn on/off lights, or adjust the temp, and soon Open and Close my Blinds, as having to use a app kind of sucks. That will be a second device that I'll be able to try all 3 on besides the Ecobee 4.
Answering random questions I had to Google and then Siri, they were almost exactly the same. I'd give the edge to Siri and it was just a bit better, less computer like response on a couple questions.
On the other hand with my Google Mini, which I have setup Pandora on. When I went to ask it "Hey Google, Play Bing Crosby Christmas Music" It DID play his music from Pandora!!! That was pretty nice. 100% free. The only music service I kind of pay for is that from Amazon Prime service.
Try asking Siri, is it going to tell you it can't kind it in your iTunes Library. Pandora is on my iOS devices. I even tried to saying, "Hey Siri, Play Bing Crosby Christmas Music from Pandora", and it tells me it can't.
They all have their Pro's and Con's. Right now with iOS, If you want Siri to control music, it better be on your iTunes account or you're subscribed to Apple Music. That's just kind of sad. I don't tune into a lot of music these days and so I have no interest to pay $10 a month for it. How about limited hours per month and charge $5 a month? Then MAYBE I'd subscribe. It's just another example of Apple not playing nice with others.
I have a new 12.9" iPad Pro and a Apple Pencil, to go along with my iPhone 6, which I'm on my 4th year with like I did with my iPhone 4, used for 4+ years. I plan to get the iPhone XI or whatever Apple calls it this year. But I'm not going to blindly suck up to Apple. Siri works fantastic for me most of the time. I want the weak area's improved to make it even better. I'm going to tell it as I see it. I think the iPhone Slowdown thing is a over blown thing that's really just a part of Lithium battery Management and really Apple trying to get more life out of iPhones without people being forced to upgrade or replace the battery.
But let’s remember that we’re in something of a glass house right now.
WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY TRANSMITTING THAT WOULD LOCK UP A MODERN ROUTER?!?!?!?!
DOS attacks usually take multiple computers. This would have to be a LOT of data!
https://support.google.com/googlehome/answer/7634752?hl=en&ref_topic=7071995