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Dongles · Head to head

Smlight SLZB-06 vs Sonoff ZBDongle-P

Full Smart Dongles comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
Same Texas Instruments CC2652P radio, two ways to connect it: the Smlight SLZB-06 is the better Zigbee coordinator because it runs over Ethernet with PoE, Wi-Fi or USB.
Smlight SLZB-06
Winner
Smlight SLZB-06
$72.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
On top of that placement freedom it adds a Thread border router role, a Bluetooth proxy and a +5 dBi antenna against 2 dBi, with the same +20 dBm transmit power and router mode as the Sonoff. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P is the lower priced USB stick, carries a two-year warranty against one and is the community's reference coordinator for ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT. Since both share a chip family, moving a network between them is straightforward. Choose the Smlight SLZB-06 if the server sits in a poor spot for radio or you want Thread and Bluetooth in the same box, and the Sonoff ZBDongle-P for a proven Zigbee stick at the lowest cost.
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FeatureSmlight SLZB-06Sonoff ZBDongle-PWinner
Price$72.99$33.45Sonoff ZBDongle-P
Rating4.24.6Sonoff ZBDongle-P
Warranty1 year2 yearsSonoff ZBDongle-P
PowerUSB, PoEUSBSmlight SLZB-06
ConnectivityUSB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFiUSBSmlight SLZB-06
Thread Border RouterYESNOSmlight SLZB-06
Antenna Gain+5dB+2dBiSmlight SLZB-06
Bluetooth ProxyYESNOSmlight SLZB-06
Zigbee Chip ModelCC2652PCC2652PTie
Zigbee RouterYESYESTie
Z-Wave ControllerNONOTie
Matter BridgeNONOTie

What the differences mean

How it connects

The Smlight SLZB-06 can sit anywhere a network cable reaches, powered over PoE, or connect over Wi-Fi or USB. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P plugs into the Home Assistant host, so its range starts wherever the server is.

Thread and Bluetooth

The Smlight SLZB-06 can act as a Thread border router and as a Bluetooth proxy for BLE sensors. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P does neither: it is a Zigbee coordinator and router.

Antenna

Both have +20 dBm of transmit power on the same CC2652P chip, but the Smlight SLZB-06 has a +5 dBi antenna against 2 dBi on the Sonoff ZBDongle-P. Owners of both report strong range, and central placement helps the Smlight more than the antenna number does.

Warranty

The Sonoff ZBDongle-P is covered for two years, the Smlight SLZB-06 for one.

Which one to buy if

  • your Home Assistant server lives in a rack or closet
    Smlight SLZB-06

    The Smlight SLZB-06 can be moved to the centre of the home on a PoE cable.

  • you want the lowest cost, proven Zigbee stick
    Sonoff ZBDongle-P

    The Sonoff ZBDongle-P is the lower priced of the two and owners call it the reference coordinator.

  • you use Bluetooth thermometers or trackers too
    Smlight SLZB-06

    The Smlight SLZB-06 relays them to Home Assistant as a Bluetooth proxy.

  • you are moving a network off another Texas Instruments stick
    Sonoff ZBDongle-P

    Sonoff ZBDongle-P owners report migrations in about ten minutes with IEEE addresses kept, and it plugs in where the old stick was.

What owners say

Owners of both coordinators praise how well they work with Home Assistant through ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT and the range they get across multi-floor homes. Smlight SLZB-06 owners single out placing it centrally on one PoE cable, which several credit with stabilising a flaky mesh, plus firmware updates from inside Home Assistant; they complain about a large case and a minority of units that needed regular power cycling. Sonoff ZBDongle-P owners describe control they find faster than a ConBee II, a ten minute migration that keeps IEEE addresses and a premium aluminium case, while warning that the case is bulky enough to need a USB extension and that passing it to a virtual machine can take troubleshooting.

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 ZBDongle-P

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Smlight SLZB-06 or Sonoff ZBDongle-P?

The Smlight SLZB-06, because the same CC2652P chip comes with Ethernet, PoE and Wi-Fi, a Thread border router role, a Bluetooth proxy and a higher gain antenna. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P is the lower priced USB stick with a two-year warranty.

Which one should I buy, the Smlight SLZB-06 or the Sonoff ZBDongle-P?

Buy the Smlight SLZB-06 if you have a PoE switch, a badly placed server or Bluetooth sensors to bring in. Buy the Sonoff ZBDongle-P if the Home Assistant host is central and you only need Zigbee at the lowest cost.

Do the Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff ZBDongle-P use the same chip?

Yes. Both are built on the Texas Instruments CC2652P with +20 dBm of transmit power and both run as Zigbee 3.0 coordinators or routers. The Smlight SLZB-06 adds network connectivity, Thread and a Bluetooth proxy around it.

Are the Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff ZBDongle-P supported by Zigbee2MQTT?

Yes. The Smlight SLZB-06 and the Sonoff ZBDongle-P both work with Zigbee2MQTT and with Home Assistant's ZHA integration.

Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-06?

Home Assistant users who want to place the Zigbee coordinator centrally on Ethernet or PoE, or who want Thread and a Bluetooth proxy from the same box.

Who should buy the Sonoff ZBDongle-P?

Anyone who wants the well-supported CC2652P as a plain USB coordinator at a lower price, with a two-year warranty and no need for Thread or Bluetooth.

Full comparison table

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