Good news Google promises to fix Home-induced Wi-Fi connection woes on January 18,II Google says a fix is coming on January 18th for Wi-Fi problems associated with Cast devices,II Google Cast has Been Destroying WiFi Networks Lately (Updated: Fix Incoming)

 

UPDATE 1/17: Google says a fix is ready and will rollout starting January 18 as an update to Google Play services on Android devices.
A few days back we reported that the Google Home Max (among other Cast-enabled devices) might be connected with some recent reports for widespread Wi-Fi troubles. Google has indirectly responded to this issue in a page on the Device Support section for Google Home support, in which the company acknowledges the existence and cause of the problem, promising a fix tomorrow. 
This particular issue has picked up a lot of traction in the news, having been reported on by outlets covering a range from Engadget to The Sun, so it's not just a niche problem.
According to the new help page, the issue is confirmed as being caused by having an Android device and a Cast-enabled device—like a Google Home or Chromecast—on the same network. A solution is in the works and should arrive tomorrow (Thursday, January 18th) with a Google Play services update. So if you've been having Wi-Fi troubles potentially related to a Cast device on your network, you don't have long to wait for a fix. That is, assuming Google keeps its schedule.
In the meantime, we've reached out to Google asking for the precise version number that will include that fix. If we find out, we'll be sure to update this article. Some people have also reported that the issue is mitigated by the latest Google Play services beta, but reports are varied, with not all reporting success. If you'd like to give it a try yourself, you can download it (v11.9.73 beta) over at APK Mirror, or join the beta testing group.

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I think it was day 3 of CES when my wife pinged me on Hangouts to let me know that our WiFi was hot garbage and that she was struggling to continue watching all of the movies I’ve been refusing to watch for weeks, mostly because they star Reese Witherspoon in a rom-com scenario and feature a sub-30% score on Rotten Tomatoes. Thankfully, I have Eero and can remotely reboot our WiFi system, so that she could finish a job I just wasn’t cut out for. But then I got back from the week in Vegas and noticed that my phone (Pixel 2 XL) was constantly dropping a data connection even when showing that it was connected to WiFi or cutting straight to LTE before going back. It’s been frustrating, that’s for sure.
As it turns out, it’s not our WiFi or Reese Witherspoon flicks that were the issue – it’s Google. More specifically, it appears to be Google Cast, Google Home, Chromecast, and any other device that might want to have a party on a Cast connection.

What’s the deal?

I’ve got tons of links below that attempt to dive into what’s wrong, but TP-Link gave the best explanation. Their assessment suggests that recent releases of Android and those with an enabled Cast feature, are basically DDoSing your home WiFi. As explained by TP-Link, the MDNS packets that keep a live connection between your phone and Google products (like Chromecast or SHIELD with Cast built-in or Google Home) are typically sent every 20 seconds. In recent Android updates, though, that timing may have slowed as apps or devices are pushed into a sleep mode. Then, as they wake, they could send more than 100,000 packets in a burst that kills internet connectivity over WiFi, thus the drops.

Google Cast WiFi drop fix

To fix the problem of dropped WiFi connections because of Google Cast, a bunch of router companies are already pushing out updates (some in beta), so feel free to check with your router company’s forums or support site (some links are below too). Others are unplugging Cast-enabled devices, removing Cast apps, turning off music controls for Cast devices in the Home app, etc. Some are also installing the latest beta of Google Play Services (opt-in here), assuming that Google may have patched this.
Either way, if you have been experiencing spotty WiFi at home with a significant number of drops in recent weeks, you don’t need to go buy a new router. Hopefully, Google will issue a fix that isn’t just a router update work-around.
// Google Home Help [2] | Linksys [2] | Netgear | TP-Link [2]