Amazon Sidewalk - sharing your wifi connection with random strangers.

Forums › Gadgets, robotics, home automation, electronics (including wearables) › Amazon Sidewalk - sharing your wifi connection with random strangers.

GSManiac

494 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 273

#286056 2-Jun-2021 15:39

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/amazon-soon-share-home-wi-163910824.html

“All the Echo speakers and Ring security cameras out there will soon be linked in a massive mesh network beginning next Tuesday, June 8th, which is when the new Amazon Sidewalkservice will be turned on. This new Amazon feature allows all your Amazon smart home devices to share your home WI-Fi with Amazon gadgets that belong to strangers.”

Hope this dies a quick death and does not launch here.

chevrolux

4962 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 2638
Inactive user

#2717352 2-Jun-2021 15:52

Imagine thinking Ring was a good security product 🤣

This sounds utterly terrible and should be an opt-in rather than opt-out type thing. Although, that article mentions 900MHz... there's a very limited operating band for unlicensed devices in NZ so maybe it won't even launch here?

richms

29098 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10209

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2717358 2-Jun-2021 16:20

I dont see the hate for this. Its no different to what apple suprised on everyone for the airtags, which IMO is worse since its a mobile device so using its BTLE network over you limited cellular data. If the sidewalk allows for greater location precision on tiles and other bluetooth trackers then its a great thing.

Richard rich.ms

ratsun81

516 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 183

#2717359 2-Jun-2021 16:21

Hold up,

"Amazon Sidewalk launches in the US on June 8th, at which point Echo speakers and Ring cameras will become bridges into a mesh network operating over the 900Hz band. "

That means GSM or mobile networks right, which means if they are hooked up to wifi we have nothing to see here?

RunningMan

9184 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 4834

#2717362 2-Jun-2021 16:25

chevrolux: [snip] Although, that article mentions 900MHz... there's a very limited operating band for unlicensed devices in NZ so maybe it won't even launch here?

The article actually talks about 900Hz, presumably that's a typo though.

freitasm

BDFL - Memuneh
80647 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 41030

Administrator

ID Verified

Trusted

Geekzone

Lifetime subscriber

#2717365 2-Jun-2021 16:26

It's an adhoc network for these devices to extend coverage and to help them get connected back to their owner's WiFi network.

Amazon says usage could be up to 500 MB/month. All comms is encrypted and you might get notifications but not video streaming.

I am not sure about the hate. I've seen people using those free Hola VPN that resell their bandwidth without users knowing and no one complained - I still see people using that crap.

I rather have an Amazon Sidewalk in my network than a Hola VPN - or any other similar service.

Referral links: Quic Broadband (free setup code: R587125ERQ6VE) | Samsung | AliExpress | Wise | Sharesies

Support Geekzone by subscribing (browse ads-free), or making a one-off or recurring donation through PressPatron.

frankv

5705 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 3666

Lifetime subscriber

#2717366 2-Jun-2021 16:30

ratsun81:

Hold up,

"Amazon Sidewalk launches in the US on June 8th, at which point Echo speakers and Ring cameras will become bridges into a mesh network operating over the 900Hz band. "

That means GSM or mobile networks right, which means if they are hooked up to wifi we have nothing to see here?

900Hz is an irritating medium-high pitch tone. I think it's connected by string and baked bean tins.

Lenovo

Shop now for Lenovo laptops and other devices (affiliate link).

richms

29098 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10209

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2717368 2-Jun-2021 16:37

ratsun81:

Hold up,

"Amazon Sidewalk launches in the US on June 8th, at which point Echo speakers and Ring cameras will become bridges into a mesh network operating over the 900Hz band. "

That means GSM or mobile networks right, which means if they are hooked up to wifi we have nothing to see here?

No, its Lora based, which is probably a no-go here since the 900MHz ISM allocation is a joke small size. Its what had me concerned about getting another echo device from the USA.

Richard rich.ms

ratsun81

516 posts

Ultimate Geek
+1 received by user: 183

#2717372 2-Jun-2021 16:46

richms:

ratsun81:

Hold up,

"Amazon Sidewalk launches in the US on June 8th, at which point Echo speakers and Ring cameras will become bridges into a mesh network operating over the 900Hz band. "

That means GSM or mobile networks right, which means if they are hooked up to wifi we have nothing to see here?

No, its Lora based, which is probably a no-go here since the 900MHz ISM allocation is a joke small size. Its what had me concerned about getting another echo device from the USA.

Ok some media outlets missed the M.... which one of is where i pulled that from.

https://www.amazon.com/Amazon-Sidewalk/b?ie=UTF8&node=21328123011&tag=b0c55yh-20

How does Amazon Sidewalk work?
Customers with a Sidewalk Bridge (today, many Echo devices, Ring Floodlight Cams and Ring Spotlight Cams) can contribute a small portion of their internet bandwidth, which is pooled together to create a shared network that benefits all Sidewalk-enabled devices in a community. Amazon Sidewalk uses Bluetooth, the 900 MHz spectrum and other frequencies to extend coverage and provide these benefits.

neb

11294 posts

Uber Geek
+1 received by user: 10018

Trusted

Lifetime subscriber

#2717824 3-Jun-2021 18:10

richms:
No, its Lora based,

LoRa? So they send the SYN and ACK and maybe some DNS over LoRa and the actual traffic over something else?