Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
Network coordinator against network coordinator: the Sonoff Dongle Max takes this Zigbee pairing on its Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 radio, two external antennas and an experimental dual-network mode.
Both boxes connect over Ethernet with PoE, over USB or over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi, both have +20 dBm of transmit power with a +5 dBi antenna, and both can serve as a Thread border router for Home Assistant or Zigbee2MQTT. The Smlight SLZB-06 answers with a Texas Instruments CC2652P chip and a Bluetooth proxy the Sonoff does not have, so BLE sensors can reach Home Assistant through the same box. Choose the Sonoff Dongle Max if you want to try Zigbee and Thread on one radio, and the Smlight SLZB-06 if Bluetooth relaying or a Texas Instruments based network matters more.
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| Feature | Smlight SLZB-06 | Sonoff Dongle Max | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $72.99 | €32.13 | Sonoff Dongle Max |
| Rating | 4.2 | 4.3 | Sonoff Dongle Max |
| Bluetooth Proxy | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-06 |
| Zigbee Chip Model | CC2652P | EFR32MG24 | Different strengths |
| Antenna Gain | +5dB | +5dBi | Different strengths |
| Warranty | 1 year | 1 year | Tie |
| Power | USB, PoE | USB, PoE | Tie |
| Connectivity | USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi | USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi | Tie |
| Zigbee Router | YES | YES | Tie |
| Z-Wave Controller | NO | NO | Tie |
| Thread Border Router | YES | YES | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Zigbee chip
The Smlight SLZB-06 runs a Texas Instruments CC2652P and the Sonoff Dongle Max a Silicon Labs EFR32MG24. In daily use both coordinate a Zigbee 3.0 network the same way; the chip matters when you move an existing network over, since a network built on another Texas Instruments coordinator is the natural fit for the Smlight.
Zigbee and Thread at once
The Sonoff Dongle Max lists dual-network operation as experimental, so it can try to run Zigbee and Thread side by side. The Smlight SLZB-06 has no dual-network mode: it is a Thread border router or a Zigbee coordinator, one at a time.
Bluetooth proxy
Only the Smlight SLZB-06 works as a Bluetooth proxy, relaying BLE sensors and trackers to Home Assistant from wherever the box sits. With the Sonoff Dongle Max you would need a separate proxy for those devices.
Antennas
Both have +20 dBm of transmit power and +5 dBi antennas, but the Sonoff Dongle Max carries two external antennas against one on the Smlight SLZB-06. Owners of both report strong range, so this is a detail rather than a deciding factor.
Which one to buy if
- you want Zigbee and Thread running from one coordinator
The Sonoff Dongle Max offers an experimental dual-network mode; the Smlight SLZB-06 runs one protocol at a time.
- you have Bluetooth sensors that should report to Home Assistant
The Smlight SLZB-06 doubles as a Bluetooth proxy, which the Sonoff Dongle Max does not do.
- your current Zigbee network runs on a Texas Instruments coordinator
The Smlight SLZB-06 uses the Texas Instruments CC2652P, and its owners report migrating an existing network without trouble.
- you would rather update firmware without hunting for instructions
Smlight SLZB-06 owners push firmware from inside Home Assistant, while Sonoff Dongle Max owners found its update steps poorly documented.
- + Bluetooth Proxy: YES
- - Price: $72.99 vs €32.13
- - Rating: 4.2 vs 4.3
Winner
18% OFF
€32.13
€38.99
- + Price: €32.13
- + Rating: 4.3
- - Bluetooth Proxy: NO vs YES
What owners say
Owners of both coordinators say the same thing first: being able to put the radio anywhere a network cable reaches, instead of next to the server, is what fixed their range, and both groups describe a smooth start in Home Assistant with ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT. Smlight SLZB-06 owners add that it calmed a previously flaky mesh, that firmware updates run from inside Home Assistant and that it can even work as a remote coordinator over Wireguard; their complaints are its size and a minority of units that needed frequent power cycling. Sonoff Dongle Max owners credit it with covering spots such as a detached garage and like the build, while they warn that a firmware update needs a physical power cycle nobody documents, that the web portal keeps asking to log in again and that a few devices dropped off on their own.
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.
- Smlight SLZB-06
- Sonoff Dongle Max
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Smlight SLZB-06 or Sonoff Dongle Max?
The Sonoff Dongle Max, narrowly. It adds a Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 radio, a second external antenna and an experimental Zigbee plus Thread mode. The Smlight SLZB-06 matches it on Ethernet, PoE, USB and Wi-Fi and adds a Bluetooth proxy, so it remains the better choice for anyone who wants BLE sensors relayed to Home Assistant.
What is the biggest difference between the Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff Dongle Max?
The radio behind the same kind of box. The Smlight SLZB-06 uses a Texas Instruments CC2652P and can act as a Bluetooth proxy, while the Sonoff Dongle Max uses a Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 with two antennas and experimental dual-network support. Connectivity and power options are the same on both.
Can the Smlight SLZB-06 or the Sonoff Dongle Max run Zigbee and Thread at the same time?
Only the Sonoff Dongle Max tries to, and its dual-network mode is still marked experimental. The Smlight SLZB-06 can be a Zigbee coordinator or a Thread border router, but not both at once.
Do the Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff Dongle Max both support PoE?
Yes. The Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff Dongle Max can each take power and network over a single Ethernet cable from a PoE switch, and both can also run on USB power or connect over 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi.
Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-06?
Home Assistant users who want a network coordinator that also relays Bluetooth sensors, or who are moving an existing Texas Instruments based Zigbee network and want firmware updates handled from inside Home Assistant.
Who should buy the Sonoff Dongle Max?
Tinkerers who want a PoE coordinator on a Silicon Labs EFR32MG24 radio with two antennas, and who are willing to try running Zigbee and Thread together while that mode is still experimental.
Full comparison table
Compare all 36 Dongles side by side
You are looking at two of them. The full table lines up all Dongles in the catalog with the same specs, so you can filter by what you need and sort by price or rating.
- 36 Dongles
- 32 specs compared
- 29 filters
SmlightSLZB-MRW10
$100.00
SmlightSLZB-06 U
$72.99
SmlightSLZB-MR3
€158.13
SmlightSLZB-MR5U
$119.99
SmlightSLZB-07
$34.99
SmlightSLZB-MR1U
$102.99
SmlightSLZB-07p7
$36.99
SonoffZBDongle-E
$24.90
SonoffDongle Plus MG24
$35.90
Nabu CasaHome Assistant Connect ZBT-2
$65.00
SonoffZBDongle-P
16% OFF$39.99$33.45
ZoozZ-Wave Long Range Stick
$39.95
Nabu CasaHome Assistant Connect ZWA-2
$79.00
SonoffDongle-PZG23
$39.90
SmlightSLZB-06M
$72.99
SonoffDongle Plus PP10
$35.90
SmlightSLZB-06p7U
$78.99
SmlightSLZB-MR2
€111.97
SonoffDongle Lite MG21
$24.90
AeotecZ-Stick 7
$39.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06 MG24
4.5(6)$82.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06 MG26
3.4(7)$84.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06 U
5.0(5)$72.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06
4.2(182)$72.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06M
4.6(111)$72.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06P10
4.4(11)$85.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-06p7
4.4(11)$79.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-06p7U
4.6(33)$78.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07 MG24
3.3(5)$45.99
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07 MG26
4.5(86)- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-07
4.9(20)$34.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-07P10
3.0(1)$48.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-07p7
4.8(8)$36.99 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-MR1
4.4(11)$103.99- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR1U
4.8(16)$102.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR2
4.6(8)€111.97 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR3
5.0(1)€158.13 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-MR4
4.0(5)$130.00- DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MR5U
5.0(1)$119.99 - DonglesSmlight
SLZB-MRW10
5.0(11)$100.00
Air Quality MonitorsSonoffSAWF-07P Air Quality Monitor
3.7(193)$39.90
Air Quality MonitorsSonoffSAWF-08P Air Quality Monitor
4.3(169)$49.90
CamerasSonoffCAM GlassView
4.6(26)$34.90
CamerasSonoffCam Outdoor DUO
$79.90
CamerasSonoffCam Slim Gen2
4.4(173)$19.90
CamerasSonoffGK-200MP2-B
4.0(149)30% OFF$9.99$6.99
DisplaysSonoffNSPanel Pro Gen2
3.4(11)€149.90
DisplaysSonoffNSPanel Pro
4.1(74)$129.90- DonglesSonoff
Dongle Lite MG21
4.5(449)$24.90 - DonglesSonoff
Dongle Max
4.3(603)18% OFF€38.99€32.13 - DonglesSonoff
Dongle Plus MG24
4.7(684)$35.90 - DonglesSonoff
Dongle Plus PP10
4.6(98)$35.90 - DonglesSonoff
Dongle-PZG23
4.6(175)$39.90 
DonglesSonoffZ-Wave 800 PoE Dongle Max
4.5(26)$44.90- DonglesSonoff
ZBDongle-E
4.7(3,738)$24.90 - DonglesSonoff
ZBDongle-P
4.6(5,673)16% OFF$39.99$33.45 
Door & Window SensorsSonoffDW2-WIFI
3.8(1,057)$12.23
Door & Window SensorsSonoffSNZB-04 ZigBee Wireless Door/Window Sensor
3.7(101)$17.99
Door & Window SensorsSonoffSNZB-04P ZigBee Door/Window Sensor
4.0(13)$18.99
Door & Window SensorsSonoffSenseGuard DW Gen2
4.4(203)£35.00