Amazon brand guitar strings? Whats next, AMZ DAW?

[Mandolin Picker]

Since we are on the subject of Amazon, if you own an Amazon device (Ring Floodlight Cam (2019), Ring Spotlight Cam Wired (2019), Ring Spotlight Cam Mount (2019), Echo (3rd gen and newer), Echo Dot (3rd gen and newer), Echo Dot for Kids (3rd gen and newer), Echo Dot with Clock (3rd gen and newer), Echo Plus (all generations), Echo Show (all models and generations), Echo Spot, Echo Studio, Echo Input, Echo Flex.) you are automatically enrolled in "Amazon Sidewalk". Sidewalk is a new program that will open your wireless internet connection to your neighbors and friends. They will be able to connect through your Amazon device to access the Internet. No you will not be reimbursed for any your bandwidth that others use as part of their web browsing, etc. Those who have accounts with ISPs that have data caps be aware.

There are a lot of issues with this new program, from the fact that is opt out (by being an owner of a device listed above you are automatically opted in), to the use of your bandwidth without compensation, to the security issues involving WiFi and Bluetooth. 

If you wish to opt out, you have to do it through the Alexa app (you can't do it through the web site)

• Opening the Alexa app
• Opening More and selecting Settings
• Selecting Account Settings
• Selecting Amazon Sidewalk
• Turning Amazon Sidewalk Off

For more gory details take a minute to review the Ars Technica article linked below

"Amazon devices will soon automatically share your Internet with neighbors"
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2021/05/amazon-devices-will-soon-automatically-share-your-internet-with-neighbors/  

[SteveStrummerUK]

1 hour ago, InstrEd said:

1 hour ago, craigb said:

Maybe Paulo meant to say "Stranglers?" ?

"Stranglers in the Night exchanging Wire"   ?

[Shane_B.]

8 hours ago, paulo said:

I thought it was probably just because he wore them all the time, lived outside and didn't have a washing machine. 

I'm not sure what that says about the way your mind works.

 

My mind works musically. What you said reminded me of Aqualung. ??

[Shane_B.]

 

12 hours ago, craigb said:

Here you go Shane (just don't let your wife know!?)

OMG! Did you see the stuff below the listing under the frequently bought together list. It's hilarious. ?

[Shane_B.]

5 hours ago, Mandolin Picker said:

"Amazon devices will soon automatically share your Internet with neighbors"

Please ... any IT person correct me on this if I am wrong ...

I watched a router security video recently on youtube about Ubiquity getting hacked.

If I understood correctly the gist of it was you should always set up your Ring and Alexa and any other wifi controlled devices like light switch and outlet devices on the "Guest" portion of your router and use the main router login for your personal info like bank account numbers and sites you buy things from with a credit card. It does something along the lines of masking your mac and IP address so they can't trace your main login and monitor you. They also said some routers actually have multiple NICs those are the safest.

I also read that VPNs are no good if you've used your internet before setting up the VPN. Once your IP and mac have been out there it can be traced VPN or not. You have to replace your nic, get a static IP from your isp, then set up a vpn before surfing the net for a VPN to truly work.

I'll try to find the vid I saw and update with a link.

[abacab]

16 hours ago, Shane_B. said:

If I understood correctly the gist of it was you should always set up your Ring and Alexa and any other wifi controlled devices like light switch and outlet devices on the "Guest" portion of your router and use the main router login for your personal info like bank account numbers and sites you buy things from with a credit card. It does something along the lines of masking your mac and IP address so they can't trace your main login and monitor you. They also said some routers actually have multiple NICs those are the safest.

I think that using the "Guest" network for any potentially untrusted devices in your network is a good plan. In my Netgear router, for instance, there is also a feature called "Network Isolation" than can be enabled. This puts the "Guest" network devices into a mode where they can only see the router and internet, but no other devices on my private network.

So I connect my mobile phone and Roku streamer to my guest network in isolation mode. I don't have any internet of things yet, or Amazon Alexas, but they would also go there if I had them.

The biggest potential problem that I see with "Amazon Sidewalk", is that they have had these tiny low power wireless transceivers "hidden" in their connected devices for a while. So they are just now announcing it, as they enable this feature, allowing your Amazon internet connected device to "bridge" to a new low power wireless mesh network (Sidewalk) of nearby public devices. This low power network operates independently, and completely out of control of your private network router and firewall.

Note: if you are using the "Guest" network in normal mode, rather than isolation mode, this only uses an alternate SSID and login credentials, so you don't have to share your primary credentials with guests. But in most consumer scenarios, those guests will be using the same physical network and address space as your primary network (meaning they could see all traffic) unless your router has another way to place then on a different subnet.

?

Edited May 30, 2021 by abacab

[craigb]

I've got three WiFi networks.  My primary work/business one is hidden, another ("My Faithful WiFi") is locked down tight and the last one for guests ("My Unfaithful WiFi") is almost wide open. 

[abacab]

22 minutes ago, craigb said:

I've got three WiFi networks.  My primary work/business one is hidden, another ("My Faithful WiFi") is locked down tight and the last one for guests ("My Unfaithful WiFi") is almost wide open. 

Goody two shoes!!! ?

[Bapu]

15 hours ago, craigb said:

I've got three WiFi networks.  My primary work/business one is hidden, another ("My Faithful WiFi") is locked down tight and the last one for guests ("My Unfaithful WiFi") is almost wide open. 

I have a Marianne Faithful Wi-Fi. Does that make me a bad person?