Amazon Sidewalk is a new neighborhood network created by Amazon that links Echo devices, Ring security cameras, and Tile trackers to help improve connectivity. It uses a small portion of your home wireless bandwidth to share with nearby Sidewalk-enabled devices.
While this interconnected mesh network aims to be helpful, it has raised some valid privacy and security concerns among users. In this guide, I‘ll explain what exactly Amazon Sidewalk is, the risks involved, and how to easily opt out if you choose. I‘ll also provide tips on how to secure your network if you decide to keep using Sidewalk.
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What is Amazon Sidewalk?
Announced in late 2019 and launched in June 2021, Amazon Sidewalk creates a low-bandwidth, shared network using Sidewalk Bridge devices like newer Echo and Ring products. This network extends past the range of your home WiFi to help devices stay connected even when away from your router.
For example, if your Echo device temporarily loses WiFi connection, it can access bandwidth from a neighbor‘s Sidewalk Bridges to send requests to Amazon‘s servers and return responses. Similarly, a dementia patient wearing a Sidewalk-enabled CareBand could be tracked outside their home‘s WiFi range thanks to shared bandwidth from the neighborhood network.
Amazon has partnered with companies like Tile to take advantage of the extended connectivity as well. So in theory, you could track a lost Tile tag farther away than your home‘s WiFi reaches.
How Does Amazon Sidewalk Work?
Amazon Sidewalk functions using three key components:
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Sidewalk Bridge – These are Echo and Ring devices that share a small portion of your home bandwidth with the Sidewalk network. This allows other Sidewalk-enabled devices to remain connected through your router.
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Sidewalk Gateway – This retrieves requests from Sidewalk end point devices and forwards them to the Sidewalk server using the shared bandwidth from Sidewalk Bridges.
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Sidewalk Server – Amazon‘s server processes requests and returns responses back to devices via the Sidewalk Gateway and Bridge.
So in simplified terms, your Echo devices and Ring cameras act as Bridges to share bandwidth from your home network. This allows someone‘s Tile tracker, for example, to exchange data with Amazon‘s Sidewalk Server using your internet connection, keeping the Tile device functional.
Amazon states that the maximum bandwidth of data shared is capped at 500MB per month, which is a small fraction of what most households use. But for those with capped internet plans, even this bandwidth sharing could be an issue.
Why You May Want to Disable Amazon Sidewalk
While the goals of Amazon Sidewalk seem beneficial on the surface, there are some valid reasons you may want to disable the feature.
Privacy and Security Concerns
Giving Amazon access to share your home bandwidth with unknown devices opens up some potential security risks. While Amazon claims its encryption prevents hackers from accessing your WiFi network, security experts have raised concerns. And Amazon‘s handling of user data has raised trust issues before.
Similarly, privacy advocates worry that Amazon could use data exchanged through Sidewalk to gather more information about users and their smart home gadgets. Amazon states it will not associate the small data packets with specific customers, but distrust remains.
Even if you have an unlimited internet data plan, you may simply not want to donate your bandwidth to Amazon and others. The maximum data use per month is capped at 500MB, which Amazon states is a small amount. But ultimately, it is still your personal internet bandwidth being shared with the Sidewalk network.
Metered/Capped Internet Plans
For those with strict data caps or metered internet plans, the bandwidth sharing of Amazon Sidewalk could lead to extra data usage fees. Even at the 500MB monthly max, that is data you paid for being consumed by external devices not in your home.
Concerns About Tracking Devices
While increased connectivity can be helpful for tracking lost pets or individuals with dementia, Tile tracking devices on Sidewalk have raised some worries. There are cases where small tracking tags have been slipped into purses or placed on vehicles by stalkers or abusive partners. The increased range of Sidewalk could unwittingly aid such tracking.
So in summary, common concerns around Amazon Sidewalk include security issues with sharing your home WiFi, unwanted bandwidth usage, and potential risks from extended tracking range. While Amazon has tried to address some of these concerns, many users still feel more comfortable disabling the feature entirely.
How To Opt Out of Amazon Sidewalk
The good news is it‘s incredibly simple to disable Amazon Sidewalk across your account and devices. There are two main ways to opt out:
Turn Off Sidewalk in Alexa App
The fastest way to disable Sidewalk network sharing is directly in the Alexa app:
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Open the Alexa app on your phone or tablet.
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Tap "More" in the bottom right corner.
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Select "Settings".
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Choose "Account Settings".
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Tap on "Amazon Sidewalk"
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Hit the toggle to disable.
This single switch disables Sidewalk functionality across all of your Echo and Ring devices in one go.
Disable Sidewalk Per Device
You can also manage Sidewalk settings on a per device basis:
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Go to Amazon account settings at www.amazon.com/devicesupport
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Select "Content & Devices"
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Choose the specific device you want to manage.
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Open device settings and toggle off Amazon Sidewalk.
Repeat for each device you want to remove from the Sidewalk network. Useful if you only want certain Echo or Ring devices enrolled in Sidewalk.
Additionally, if you only want to disable Sidewalk in Ring cameras but keep it running on Echo devices, you can toggle Sidewalk off directly in the Ring app under Control Center.
So in just a few taps, you can easily opt out of Amazon Sidewalk entirely or customize enrollments on a granular level.
Securing Your Network If Keeping Sidewalk
For those interested in utilizing the Sidewalk network, you can take steps to enhance the security of your home WiFi while still participating. Here are a few tips:
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Use a unique and complex password for your wireless router, don‘t keep the default.
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Enable WPA2 or WPA3 encryption on your router for secure data transmission.
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Install a firewall and anti-virus software to block intrusions and malware. Many quality VPN services also include firewalls.
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Route all your traffic through a trusted VPN to encrypt data and mask your IP address. VPNs like ExpressVPN or NordVPN are good choices.
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Turn off WiFi broadcasting so your network SSID is not publicly visible to nearby devices.
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Update your router‘s firmware frequently to patch any newly discovered vulnerabilities.
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Consider a router like Google Wifi or Netgear Orbi that offers robust security features.
So while no network is 100% hack-proof, taking the right security precautions can help mitigate potential risks if you decide to continue using Amazon Sidewalk. Just be sure to weigh the risks and benefits for your own personal situation.
Amazon Sidewalk FAQs
Here are answers to some frequently asked questions about Amazon Sidewalk:
Is Amazon Sidewalk turned on by default?
Yes, Amazon Sidewalk is enabled on all compatible Echo and Ring devices by default when you set them up. You have to manually go in and disable Amazon Sidewalk.
What devices work with Amazon Sidewalk?
The following Amazon devices can serve as Sidewalk Bridges: Echo 3rd gen and newer, Ring Spotlight Cam and Floodlight Cam 2019 models, and any Echo Show or Echo Plus. Other non-Amazon products like Tile trackers use the Sidewalk network.
Can Amazon Sidewalk be hacked?
While Amazon claims its encryption makes the network secure, experts argue that no connected system is truly 100% hack-proof. So there are potential risks, even if minimal. Using security precautions can help mitigate them.
Does Amazon Sidewalk Impact Performance?
Amazon states that Sidewalk only uses a small slice of bandwidth, maxing out at 80Kbps. So for most households, it should not have a noticeable effect on your home WiFi performance. But for those with slower internet speeds already, it could impact connectivity.
Is Amazon Sidewalk Required?
Nope! Amazon Sidewalk is completely optional, and you can easily disable the feature at any time. Amazon will not re-enable Sidewalk without your permission after opting out.
In Summary…
While Amazon Sidewalk aims to provide benefits like extended connectivity for devices, the feature does come with some potentially valid privacy and security concerns. Thankfully, it is completely optional to use Amazon Sidewalk.
Every user needs to weigh the pros and cons themselves to decide if participating in the network is right for their situation. For those who want to opt out, disabling Sidewalk is fast and simple either through the Alexa app or your Amazon account settings.
And for those who keep Sidewalk enabled, following some basic home network security practices can help safeguard your devices. At the end of the day, it‘s your bandwidth and your data – so you should have full control over how they are used.
