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Dongles · Head to head

Smlight SLZB-06 vs Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick

Full Smart Dongles comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Zooz sites.
2026 verdict
Across a large home with Zigbee sensors in every room, the Smlight SLZB-06 is the stronger smart home radio of this pair, thanks to Ethernet and PoE placement.
Smlight SLZB-06
Winner
Smlight SLZB-06
$72.99
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
It adds Wi-Fi and USB, a +5 dBi external antenna with +20 dBm of transmit power, and it can act as a Zigbee router, a Thread border router or a Bluetooth proxy for Home Assistant. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is the cheaper one and carries a 5 year warranty against 1 year, but it is a Z-Wave 800 controller, not a Zigbee radio. That makes the choice mostly about protocol: the Smlight has no Z-Wave and the Zooz has no Zigbee or Thread. Buy the Smlight SLZB-06 to run Zigbee from the middle of the house, and the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick for Z-Wave locks, thermostats and sensors.
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FeatureSmlight SLZB-06Zooz Z-Wave Long Range StickWinner
Price$72.99$39.95Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick
Rating4.24.6Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick
Warranty1 year5 yearsZooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick
PowerUSB, PoEUSBSmlight SLZB-06
ConnectivityUSB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFiUSBSmlight SLZB-06
Zigbee RouterYESNOSmlight SLZB-06
Z-Wave ControllerNOYESZooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick
Thread Border RouterYESNOSmlight SLZB-06
Bluetooth ProxyYESNOSmlight SLZB-06
Matter BridgeNONOTie
Dual NetworkNONOTie

What the differences mean

Protocol

The Smlight SLZB-06 is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator that can also run Thread; the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is a Z-Wave 800 controller. Neither covers the other's devices, so check what your locks and sensors speak first.

Where the radio sits

The Smlight SLZB-06 connects over Ethernet with PoE, Wi-Fi or USB, so one cable can put it in a hallway away from the server and its interference. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick plugs into the host's USB port.

Extra roles

The Smlight SLZB-06 doubles as a Bluetooth proxy for Home Assistant and can switch to Zigbee router or Thread border router mode. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick does one job, Z-Wave control.

Warranty

Zooz backs its stick for 5 years, the Smlight SLZB-06 for 1 year.

Which one to buy if

What owners say

Owners of both radios praise how cleanly they join Home Assistant and how stable they run once set up. Smlight SLZB-06 owners single out moving the coordinator to a central spot on one PoE cable, which they say stabilised a flaky Zigbee mesh of around fifty devices, and even running it as a remote coordinator over a VPN; their complaints are its size next to a dongle and, for a minority, errors that needed frequent power cycling. Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick owners talk about instant recognition with no driver and locks, plugs and thermostats pairing without compatibility errors, and they warn about buying the correct regional frequency and Long Range reach that gets stretched on very large properties.

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
  • Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better: Smlight SLZB-06 or Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick?

The Smlight SLZB-06 has more features: Ethernet, PoE, Wi-Fi and USB, Zigbee router, Thread border router and Bluetooth proxy roles. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is cheaper, with a 5 year warranty, and it is the one to buy if your network is Z-Wave.

Can the Smlight SLZB-06 control Z-Wave devices?

No. The Smlight SLZB-06 is a Zigbee and Thread radio with no Z-Wave controller. Z-Wave devices need a controller such as the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick, which can run in Home Assistant alongside it.

Does the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick support PoE or Ethernet?

No, the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is a USB stick powered and connected by the host. PoE and Ethernet are what the Smlight SLZB-06 adds.

Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-06?

Home Assistant users with a Zigbee network who want the coordinator on the network instead of on the server, ideally with a PoE switch, and who like adding Bluetooth proxy duties to the same box.

Who should buy the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick?

Anyone with Z-Wave locks, thermostats or sensors who wants a plug-and-play USB controller with Long Range support and a long warranty.

Full comparison table

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