Google Cast or Chromecast: Which to Use
Whenever I try to look up either Google Cast or Chromecast, I always find articles and information which further increase confusion regarding the two. Therefore I think it’s necessary to write this article to help all those who, just like me, can’t seem to figure out if the two are the same or if they’re different after all.
Well, the short answer is yes. They are different. And if you want to cast in a hotel where the Chromecast can’t get online, a Windows laptop can share its connection with it: Download Connectify Hotspot free.
Casting and device discovery
Chromecast, Roku or AirPlay can't see your phone? Use Connectify Hotspot to put casting devices on the same network
Casting works by one device finding another on the same network. Connectify Hotspot in its default mode puts the phone and the streaming device on two different networks, so the search finds nothing.
Chromecast, AirPlay and most smart home apps look for hardware by broadcasting a request across the local network and waiting for a reply. That request does not cross between networks, so a phone on the hotspot and a streaming device on the router never hear each other.
Connectify Hotspot's Bridged mode (bridging) puts both devices on one network. Everything joining the hotspot gets an address from the router instead of from the Windows PC, which means the phone and the streaming device share the same network and the cast icon comes back.
MAX Bridged mode is a Connectify Hotspot MAX feature. It works when you share a Wi-Fi or Ethernet connection.
For 64-bit Windows 10 and 11
Who’s Who: Google Cast vs. Chromecast
Google Cast is a software developed by Google that allows users to utilize screen-sharing technology between any smartphone, tablet or laptop and a Chromecast compatible multimedia player device, usually a smart TV. This way, you can access your media, including videos, movies, streaming services, music, TV shows, etc. straight from your device. And, of course, watch it on your home entertainment system with ease and comfort.
There’s almost no setup required and the UI is super easy to control. The media playback can be controlled remotely from the device being used as well. The ease of continuing an episode you’ve been watching on your phone, directly onto your TV within a few taps on your phone is an experience that enhances your entertainment consumption greatly.
On the other hand, Chromecast is Google’s own media streaming adapter. It’s a hardware dongle that can be plugged into any TV’s HDMI port and turn it into a smart, streaming device. This allows you to enjoy a plethora of media content, all with extreme ease and comfort. You can use your smartphone, tablet or even your laptop to control the media playback remotely. All you need to do is download the Chromecast app and you’re good to go. PCGuide has explained this in-depth, check it out while you’re at it.
Chromecast has a wide variety of TV shows, movies, cable network channels, streaming services, music streaming services and more available for your ease.
Use Case: Using Google Cast Technology via Chromecast when Traveling
Your Chromecast streaming device doesn’t have to be used only at home or at the office. When traveling, you can connect your Chromecast to the hotel’s Wi-Fi in order to stream your favorite media on the hotel’s TV. Check out this article to see how to save time on setting up your Chromecast for travel and make sure it’ll work.
Many hotel networks ask you to sign in on a web page, and a Chromecast has no browser to do that. Connectify Hotspot solves it from your Windows laptop: sign in to the hotel Wi-Fi in the laptop’s browser first, then share that connection, and the Chromecast joins the laptop’s hotspot like any other Wi-Fi network.
How to Get Your Chromecast Online on Hotel Wi-Fi in 5 Steps
- Download and install Connectify Hotspot on your 64-bit Windows 10 or 11 PC.
- Open it and choose Wi-Fi hotspot.
- Under Internet to share, pick the connection you want to share: Wi-Fi, Ethernet, a VPN or a phone plugged in with USB.
- Set a password. Turn on Block ads if you want lighter pages on every device.
- Click Start hotspot. Devices join by scanning the QR code on the Hotspot screen, or with the network name and password, like any other Wi-Fi network.
Then set up the Chromecast in the Google Home app on your phone and pick the hotspot’s network name as its Wi-Fi.
The gist of the whole article is: Google Cast is the software ecosystem provided by Google that allows screen-sharing with compatible devices. Whereas, Chromecast is a media streaming hardware dongle that acts as a variant of classic set-top boxes and allows you to access a plethora of entertainment content with ease.
Available for Windows 10 and 11