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Dongles · Head to head

Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-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
Need Zigbee and Thread, not Z-Wave? The Smlight SLZB-MR5U is the one built for that pair of protocols.
Smlight SLZB-MR5U
Winner
Smlight SLZB-MR5U
$119.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
It runs two Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 radios so Zigbee and Thread run at once instead of forcing a choice, connects over Ethernet with PoE, USB or Wi-Fi, and adds a Bluetooth proxy and dual antennas the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 does not have. The ZWA-2 answers on price and on the one protocol it actually does: it's a dedicated Z-Wave 800 controller built by the Home Assistant team themselves, prized for range from its external antenna. The two share no protocol at all, so this is really a choice between two different jobs. Worth knowing: the SLZB-MR5U is a very new release with barely any independent reviews yet, unlike the well-proven ZWA-2. Buy the ZWA-2 for Z-Wave; buy the SLZB-MR5U only once you're sure it's Zigbee and Thread you need.
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FeatureNabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2Smlight SLZB-MR5UWinner
Price$79.00$119.99Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2
Rating4.65.0Smlight SLZB-MR5U
PowerUSBUSB, PoESmlight SLZB-MR5U
ConnectivityUSBUSB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFiSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Zigbee RouterNOYESSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Z-Wave ControllerYESNONabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2
Thread Border RouterNOYESSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Antenna Gain+3.38dBi+5dBSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Dual NetworkNOYESSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Bluetooth ProxyNOYESSmlight SLZB-MR5U
Warranty1 year1 yearTie
Matter BridgeNONOTie

What the differences mean

Protocol

The ZWA-2 is a Z-Wave 800 controller with no Zigbee or Thread at all. The SLZB-MR5U runs Zigbee and Thread with no Z-Wave. There is zero overlap between the two.

Connectivity

The SLZB-MR5U connects over Ethernet with PoE, USB or Wi-Fi, letting it sit centrally on the network. The ZWA-2 is USB-only, tied to wherever its host machine lives.

Antennas

The SLZB-MR5U carries two external antennas against the ZWA-2's one, and adds a Bluetooth proxy the ZWA-2 has no equivalent for.

Maturity

The ZWA-2 has an established owner base with a track record of stability. The SLZB-MR5U just launched, and its own listing notes there is little independent experience with it yet.

Origin

The ZWA-2 is official Home Assistant hardware made by Nabu Casa, the company behind the software, which several owners specifically value for that reason. The SLZB-MR5U comes from Smlight's multi-radio coordinator line instead.

Which one to buy if

  • your devices are all Z-Wave
    Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2

    It's a dedicated Z-Wave 800 controller; the SLZB-MR5U has no Z-Wave radio at all.

  • you're adding Thread and Matter accessories to an existing Zigbee network
    Smlight SLZB-MR5U

    It runs Zigbee and Thread on separate radios simultaneously, which the Z-Wave-only ZWA-2 cannot do.

  • you want the coordinator placed centrally over Ethernet or PoE
    Smlight SLZB-MR5U

    It connects that way; the ZWA-2 is USB-only, tied to its host.

  • you'd rather buy hardware with a proven track record
    Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2

    The ZWA-2 has years of owner experience behind it; the SLZB-MR5U only just launched.

What owners say

Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 owners are especially vocal about range: the external antenna and amplifier routinely reach devices through stucco and tempered glass that defeated other Z-Wave coordinators they had tried before. Being official Home Assistant hardware, they also describe setup as close to effortless, with Home Assistant prompting to install what it needs on plug-in, and migrating an existing Z-Wave network from an older stick as simple. Running fully local through Z-Wave JS, with no cloud and no accounts, is repeatedly named as a reason to trust it long term, and several owners say it fixed dropped devices, packet loss and un-syncing lock codes that had plagued a previous controller.

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 ZWA-2
  • Smlight SLZB-MR5U

Loading price history...

Frequently Asked Questions

Which coordinator is better overall, the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 or the Smlight SLZB-MR5U?

For Zigbee and Thread, the Smlight SLZB-MR5U is the more capable device, running both at once with network placement and a Bluetooth proxy. The Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is a Z-Wave-only controller, so it's the pick strictly for Z-Wave devices, and it has a much longer track record.

What is the biggest difference between them?

Protocol and connectivity. The Smlight SLZB-MR5U runs Zigbee and Thread over Ethernet, PoE, USB or Wi-Fi with a Bluetooth proxy, while the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is a USB-only Z-Wave controller with none of those extras.

Can either run Zigbee and Z-Wave together?

No. The Smlight SLZB-MR5U is Zigbee and Thread only, and the Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2 is Z-Wave only. Neither covers the other's protocol at all.

Is the Smlight SLZB-MR5U a proven product yet?

Not really, it's a very new release with little independent owner experience so far, unlike the well-established Nabu Casa Home Assistant Connect ZWA-2. Buyers who want a proven track record should weigh that before choosing it.

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

Buyers who run Z-Wave and want an official Home Assistant controller with strong range and fully local Z-Wave JS control.

Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-MR5U?

Buyers who need Zigbee and Thread running simultaneously from one network-placed coordinator, and are comfortable buying a very recently launched product.

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