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Amazon’s Sidewalk is a networking technology currently available in the United States that helps keep smart home devices such as Echo speakers and Ring cameras connected to Wi-Fi. Additionally, it can find adjacent trackers such as Tiles. However, Amazon may occasionally share your bandwidth with your neighbors to make this work.
This practice is fraught with controversy. Even if you have faith in the company’s guarantees on data security, you may not value the additional bandwidth use based on principle. In just a few easy steps, we’ll guide you through the process of opting out of Amazon Sidewalk.
How Does Amazon Sidewalk Work?
The advantage of the Amazon Sidewalk network is that it enables your smart home devices to keep an internet connection even when they have located a significant distance from your Wi-Fi router by using devices located in the immediate area.
Amazon Sidewalk is a proprietary standard that should not be confused with the forthcoming Matter standard for smart home devices. This standard has given rise to severe privacy issues because it shares your internet bandwidth with individuals who are physically nearest to you. New Ring and Echo devices now come with Amazon Sidewalk pre-installed and activated by default.
They function as “Sidewalk bridges,” enabling other devices to join the Wi-Fi network in your house even when they are located outside of it. If it doesn’t seem like something you’d be interested in, this tutorial will teach you how to disable Amazon Sidewalk using the Alexa and Ring applications on your smartphone. Both Android and iOS devices follow precisely the same set of instructions.
Use Alexa App To Opt-out Of Amazon Sidewalk
When you wish to deactivate Sidewalk for all of your Echo and Ring devices, you may do it from the Alexa app.
- Launch the Amazon Alexa app.
- Simply choose the More option located in the screen’s lower-right corner.
- Then, Tap on the Settings.
- After that, select the Account Settings menu.
- Tap Amazon Sidewalk.
- To disable the feature, turn the switch off.
Read More: How to Hide Orders on Amazon?
Use Ring App To Opt-out Of Amazon Sidewalk
When you wish to disable Sidewalk for just your Ring devices, you should do it using the Ring app.
- Launch the Ring application.
- To access the hamburger menu, you’ll need to tap the symbol that looks like three parallel lines.
- Tap Control Center.
- Tap the Amazon Sidewalk icon after scrolling down.
- To disable the feature, turn the switch off.
Which Devices Include Sidewalk Inside Them?
Amazon acts openly and honestly by disclosing all the devices into which Sidewalk is integrated. To connect more devices to the Sidewalk network, these devices serve in the capacity of a bridge, also known as a hub. A complete list is as follows:
- Echo (3rd Gen and newer).
- The Echo Dot (3rd Gen and newer).
- Echo Dot Designed for Children (3rd Gen and newer).
- Dot with a Clock for the Echo Dot (3rd Gen and newer).
- Echo Plus (all generations).
- Show of Echo (2nd Gen and newer).
- Echo Spot.
- In the Echo Studio.
- Echo in the input.
- The Echo Flex.
- Floodlight Ring Camera (Ring) (2019).
- Ring Security Light Camera, Hardwired (2019).
- Ring Mount for Spotlight Camera (2019).
Disable Sidewalk Will Ensure The Safety Of Your Network
It is important to remember that new Amazon smart speakers, like the Echo Dot, already have Sidewalk installed and activated by default when they are shipped. You may find this feature helpful, but turning it off might prevent your Amazon devices from becoming a security concern. This functionality also works with compatible devices like tile trackers.
Way Do Sidewalk Devices Connect To Each Other?
Amazon explains that Sidewalk Bridges provides a shared network that operates on “Bluetooth, the 900 MHz spectrum, and other frequencies.” When there are a greater number of bridges in a region, the functionality improves.
Sum-up
We suggest following the above procedures to opt out of using Amazon Sidewalk, at least for the time being. Although Amazon has set Sidewalk to be active by default, there are possible problems, including privacy concerns and a lack of clarity surrounding consumer benefits. Your experience with an Echo or Ring device will not be adversely affected if you opt-out, and you will be protected from potential vulnerabilities. Consumers can activate or disable their Amazon Sidewalk settings at any time, as Amazon acknowledges that they understand that customers value the ability to make choices and control their experiences.
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