This could be a problem if you have DSL internet service, but if you have broadband internet service, you should be fine. The Sidewalk network will use up to 500 megabytes of data per month from your home’s internet service. How Much Data and Internet Bandwidth Will the Sidewalk Network Take From Your Home’s Internet Service? The Echo or Ring device then sends that data off to the internet via your home’s WiFi. To send data to the internet, Sidewalk devices will use one of these two networks to send data to an Echo speaker or a Ring camera. The BLE network is for devices within a couple hundred feet, while the 900 MHz network is for devices up to half a mile away.
#Amazon network kit using home wiring Bluetooth#
How Does the Sidewalk Network Actually Work?Īmazon Sidewalk is technically two wireless networks in one: Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and 900 megahertz. When you use the Sidewalk network, you’re not just providing internet access for your own compatible devices, though, you’re providing internet access to anyone’s Sidewalk-enabled devices that are near your house and are in range of your Ring cameras or Echo speakers, which can reach anywhere from a couple hundred feet to half a mile, depending on the model. The more Echo speakers and Ring cameras in people’s homes with Sidewalk, the bigger the network. And by adding the Sidewalk network to its Echo products, Amazon is hoping to provide more consistent network coverage to these devices in entire communities. Now a number of products, like Tile item trackers, Level smart locks, Ring outdoor smart lights, and certain sensors (such as Ring’s outdoor motion sensor), are compatible with Sidewalk.
There weren’t many devices that could tap into it, though. The Sidewalk network launched in stages last year, slowly rolling out to Ring devices. These devices essentially piggyback off your Echo and Ring products to connect to your home’s internet service. Amazon is expanding its Sidewalk network, making it possible for Echo smart speakers as well as Ring devices to serve as internet service hubs for low-power devices like pet trackers and smart lights.