Microsoft has updated the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) on Windows 11 with a “major network change” – thanks to new functionality available in the Advanced Networking feature.
The Windows for Android subsystem that allows Windows 11 devices to run Android apps available in the Amazon Appstore
Microsoft rolled out enhanced networking in May to its subsystem for running Android apps on Windows 11 PCs.
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That change allows Android apps to connect to smart devices on the same local network as your Windows PC. Advanced networking is also set to ‘on’ by default for newer versions of Windows x64 for PCs with Intel and AMD chips.
The “”major changes to the network“in the latest release of WSA includes Android app access to local area network devices for ARM computers. Additionally, WSA now supports IPv6 and VPN (virtual private network) connectivity), according to Microsoft’s Windows blog including WSA’s July updates.
Advanced networking allows users to set up smart home devices such as speakers and security cameras using a compatible Android app. As Microsoft explained in May, users can then play the cone on a speaker in the same network or set up a security camera or other smart home device, as long as it has a compatible Android app.
Another change Microsoft noted is that WSA now has the same IP address as the server/computer instead of its own IP address. This change is reflected in the developer section of the WSA Settings application by removing the IP address of the WSA virtual machine.
WSA runs in a Hyper-V VM for compatibility with open source Android and Windows device interfaces, such as mice and keyboards. The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) also runs in a virtual machine. Users need to install WSA and Amazon App Store from Microsoft Store, and enable virtualization in Windows 11 to run WSA and Android apps on it.
Microsoft launched the WSA preview last October with support for AMD, Intel and Qualcomm processors. With Intel technology, WSA can run Arm-only applications on hardware with Intel and AMD chips.
Currently, only US users can install Android apps from the Amazon Appstore preview, but Windows users in France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the UK will be able to test the preview. by the end of 2022.
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Although Microsoft has enabled IPv6 and VPN Connections, some VPNs still experience stability issues when Advanced Network Features are enabled in the WSA Settings app.
Microsoft has also added AV1 Codec support, updated WSA to Chromium WebView 101, and applied the May Android kernel patches.
These updates are available in WSA version 2205.40000.14.0, which is being shipped to Windows 11 users in the US in all Windows Insider channels. More details are available in Microsoft blog post.
