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Dongles · Head to head

Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 vs Smlight SLZB-MR5U

Full Smart Dongles comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Nabu Casa and Smlight sites.
2026 verdict
The Smlight SLZB-MR5U beats the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 on almost every spec but price.
Smlight SLZB-MR5U
Winner
Smlight SLZB-MR5U
$119.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
Both use the same Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 chip and both border Thread, but the Smlight SLZB-MR5U puts that chip on two radios instead of one, so Zigbee and Thread run at the same time through dual network mode, something the single-radio Nabu Casa dongle cannot do. It also adds a Bluetooth proxy, transmits at a higher +20dBm and connects over Ethernet with PoE or Wi-Fi on top of USB. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 answers only with a lower price and the ease of being the official, automatically recognized Home Assistant radio. Neither has a Z-Wave controller. Buy the Smlight SLZB-MR5U to run Zigbee and Thread together from a PoE-powered box, and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 for the simplest official USB radio when one protocol at a time is enough.
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FeatureNabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2Smlight SLZB-MR5UWinner
Price$65.00$119.99Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2
Rating4.75.0Smlight SLZB-MR5U
PowerUSBUSB, PoESmlight SLZB-MR5U
ConnectivityUSBUSB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFiSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Zigbee RouterNOYESSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Transmit Power+10dBm+20dBmSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Antenna Gain+4.16dBi+5dBSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Dual NetworkNOYESSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Bluetooth ProxyNOYESSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
Zigbee Chip ModelEFR32MG24EFR32MG24Tie
Z-Wave ControllerNONOTie

What the differences mean

Radio design

The Smlight SLZB-MR5U uses two EFR32MG24 radios, one for Zigbee and one bordering Thread, running at the same time in dual network mode. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 has one EFR32MG24 radio that runs Zigbee or Thread, never both together.

Bluetooth proxy

The Smlight SLZB-MR5U relays Bluetooth sensor signals to Home Assistant over the network. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 does not act as a Bluetooth proxy.

Connection options

The Smlight SLZB-MR5U connects over Ethernet with PoE, USB or Wi-Fi. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is USB only.

Transmit power and antenna

The Smlight SLZB-MR5U transmits at +20dBm through two antennas rated +5dBi. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 transmits at +10dBm through one antenna rated +4.16dBi.

Price

The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 costs less than the Smlight SLZB-MR5U, which is where it comes out ahead.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 owners highlight how little setup it needs, particularly next to a Home Assistant Green, where it is detected and configured without any manual steps, and even inside a VM a USB passthrough is the only extra step. The external antenna wins consistent praise for range, covering large homes with no repeaters and outperforming previous dongles some owners had tried. What they push back on is the price relative to budget dongles, a Thread setup that can need troubleshooting the OpenThread Border Router, and the fact that it runs Zigbee or Thread but never both at once.

Price history compared

Every price change of both, in the same store, so the gap between the two lines is what one costs more than the other.

  • Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2
  • Smlight SLZB-MR5U

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 or the Smlight SLZB-MR5U?

The Smlight SLZB-MR5U does more, running Zigbee and Thread at the same time with a Bluetooth proxy on top. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 is the simpler, cheaper official radio when one protocol at a time is enough.

Can the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 run Zigbee and Thread together?

No, it runs one or the other. The Smlight SLZB-MR5U uses two matching radios so Zigbee and Thread run at the same time.

What chip do these two dongles use?

Both use a Silicon Labs EFR32MG24, but the Smlight SLZB-MR5U puts it on two radios while the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 has just one.

Does either of these support Z-Wave?

No, neither the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2 nor the Smlight SLZB-MR5U has a Z-Wave controller. Smlight's SLZB-MRW10 adds that instead.

Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-MR5U?

Home Assistant users who want Zigbee and Thread running simultaneously, plus a Bluetooth proxy and the option of PoE placement.

Who should buy the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZBT-2?

Home Assistant users who want the official, automatically configured radio for Zigbee or Thread and do not need both running at once.

Full comparison table

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