Amazon starts sharing your internet today
The network works off eligible Ring and Echo devices
Amazon's Echo devices are officially sharing your internet connection — unless you opted out, that is.
The e-commerce giant's shared low-bandwidth network Amazon Sidewalk, which launched on eligible Ring devices last year, began working off eligible Echo devices Tuesday.
| Ticker | Security | Last | Change | Change % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| AMZN | AMAZON.COM INC. | 198.38 | -4.50 | -2.22% |
By pooling neighbors' internet bandwidth, the company says, Amazon Sidewalk network can extend the low-bandwidth working range of devices, ultimately helping them stay better connected to the internet.
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"These Bridge devices share a small portion of your internet bandwidth which is pooled together to provide these services to you and your neighbors," according to Amazon's website. "And when more neighbors participate, the network becomes even stronger."
Amazon Echo Plus (iStock)
For instance, Sidewalk allows users to continue to receive motion alerts from Ring Security Cams even if a device loses its Wi-Fi connection, an Amazon spokesperson told FOX Business. Additionally, Sidewalk can be used to control your Ring smart lights at the end of a driveway or to track down a lost pet, the spokesperson said.
Amazon even published a privacy and security whitepaper to ease some consumer fears about data sharing. The company claims that it "carefully designed privacy protections into how Sidewalk collects, stores, and uses metadata."
However, if users don't want to partake they have to opt out.
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According to The Verge, users can disable "Amazon Sidewalk" by going into the setting section in their Amazon Alexa app.
Users can also disable the feature in the Ring app by going into the Control Center and selecting "Sidewalk," the outlet reported.
Here is a list of devices that work as Sidewalk Bridges, which are devices that provide connections to Amazon Sidewalk, according to Amazon.
AMAZON WANTS TO SHARE YOUR WI-FI WITH NEIGHBORS
- Ring Floodlight Cam (2019)
- Ring Spotlight Cam Wired (2019)
- Ring Spotlight Cam Mount (2019)
- Echo (3rd gen and newer)
- Echo Dot (3rd gen and newer)
- Echo Dot for Kids (3rd gen and newer)
- Echo Dot with Clock (3rd gen and newer)
- Echo Plus (all generations)
- Echo Show (2nd gen)
- Echo Show 5, 8, 10 (all generations)
- Echo Spot
- Echo Studio
- Echo Input
- Echo Flex
