Amazon activates internet-sharing service 'Sidewalk:' What to know and how to turn it off
• 7 min read
Amazon launches new 'Sidewalk' system
The e-commerce giant has launched their new "Sidewalk" system that taps into Ring and Echo devices to allow neighbors to share Wi-Fi.Picture Alliance via Getty Images, FILE
A little-known feature embedded inside Amazon devices like Echos and Ring security cameras that links a user's Amazon devices together also shares a slice of your internet bandwidth with your neighbors.
The feature, called Amazon Sidewalk, went live on June 8, meaning it is turned on automatically in users' devices.
Sidewalk uses Bluetooth and Wi-Fi signals to pool small amounts of internet bandwidth from multiple locations, creating a so-called mesh network that boosts the range of Amazon devices nearby.