What Is Amazon Sidewalk?
Amazon Sidewalk is a low‑bandwidth, background wireless network that extends the reach of compatible Amazon devices beyond the limits of your home Wi‑Fi.
How Sidewalk Works
When you own an Echo speaker, Ring camera, or other Sidewalk‑compatible device, it can act as a “Bridge.” The Bridge connects to nearby Sidewalk devices (e.g., smart locks, motion sensors) and relays their data to the cloud, using other neighbors’ Bridges to forward the information when the original device is out of range.
- Each Bridge is limited to 500 MB of data per month per Amazon account.
- Data travels through multiple devices before reaching Amazon’s servers.
- Over 90 % of U.S. households have Sidewalk coverage, according to Amazon.
Privacy and Security Measures
Amazon encrypts all traffic between Bridges and devices with multiple layers of encryption, making the content unreadable to other homeowners and, theoretically, even to Amazon itself. End‑to‑end encryption is similar to the technology used in Apple’s Find My network and Google’s Find Hub.
Potential Risks of Sharing Internet
Even with encryption, some users worry that their bandwidth is being used by strangers or that a compromised device could become a vector for attacks. The 500 MB monthly cap helps limit bandwidth impact, but the concept of a crowdsourced mesh network can feel invasive.
How to Disable Amazon Sidewalk
If you prefer not to participate, you can turn Sidewalk off in the Alexa app or via the device’s settings. Follow these steps:
- Open the Alexa app on your smartphone.
- Tap Devices at the bottom of the screen.
- Select the device you want to modify (e.g., Echo, Ring).
- Choose Sidewalk from the list of settings.
- Toggle the switch to Off.
If the toggle is missing, you likely do not own any Sidewalk‑compatible devices.