Winner
Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Zooz sites.
2026 verdict
On paper these two dongles are not even rivals, one is a Zigbee coordinator and the other a Z-Wave controller; in practice the Smlight SLZB-06p7U is the broader device of the pair.
It runs a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator and router, adds a Thread border router, a Bluetooth proxy and USB-over-Ethernet passthrough, and connects over Ethernet with PoE, Wi-Fi or USB so it can be placed centrally. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick does only Z-Wave, but it does it on a Series 800 radio with no driver to install, and it carries the longest warranty here at five years. Both work with Home Assistant, and on transmit power the Smlight reaches +20 dBm against the Zooz's internal antenna setup. Choose the Smlight SLZB-06p7U for a Zigbee and Thread network that needs the radio off the server, and the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick if your devices are Z-Wave and you want a set-and-forget controller.
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| Feature | Smlight SLZB-06p7U | Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $78.99 | $39.95 | Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick |
| Warranty | 1 year | 5 years | Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick |
| Power | USB, PoE | USB | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Connectivity | USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi | USB | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Zigbee Router | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Z-Wave Controller | NO | YES | Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick |
| Thread Border Router | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Bluetooth Proxy | YES | NO | Smlight SLZB-06p7U |
| Rating | 4.6 | 4.6 | Tie |
| Matter Bridge | NO | NO | Tie |
| Dual Network | NO | NO | Tie |
What the differences mean
Protocol
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U is a Zigbee and Thread radio; the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is Z-Wave only. Which one is right comes down to the devices you already own, since neither speaks the other's protocol.
Placement
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U connects over Ethernet with PoE, Wi-Fi or USB, so it can be mounted centrally on one cable. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is a USB stick that stays with the host and relies on its internal antenna.
Extras
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U adds a Thread border router, a Bluetooth proxy and USB-over-Ethernet passthrough. The Zooz stick offers none of those, which makes the Smlight the broader device whenever those protocols are in play.
Warranty
The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick carries a five-year warranty and the Smlight SLZB-06p7U one year, by far the strongest coverage of the two and rare for a USB radio.
Range and radio
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U pairs a Texas Instruments CC2652P7 with +20 dBm and a +5 dBi external antenna. The Zooz stick uses Z-Wave 800 with no external antenna, so its reach depends on where the host and the Z-Wave mesh happen to be.
Which one to buy if
- your devices are Zigbee and Thread
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U is the Zigbee coordinator here, and it adds Thread border routing, Bluetooth and a network connection.
- your devices are Z-Wave
The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is the Z-Wave 800 controller, and the Smlight does not speak Z-Wave at all.
- you want the coordinator out of the server room
Ethernet with PoE lets the Smlight SLZB-06p7U go where the mesh needs it, while the Zooz is limited to the USB port.
- you want the longest warranty on a radio you will forget about
The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick carries a five-year warranty, the longest in this comparison.
Winner
- + Power: USB, PoE
- + Connectivity: USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
- + Zigbee Router: YES
- - Price: $78.99 vs $39.95
- - Warranty: 1 year vs 5 years
- + Price: $39.95
- + Warranty: 5 years
- + Z-Wave Controller: YES
- - Power: USB vs USB, PoE
- - Connectivity: USB vs USB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFi
What owners say
Owners of both sticks agree on the quiet part: the day they plugged it in, the radio was recognized and the network ran without fuss. Smlight SLZB-06p7U owners single out the Ethernet and PoE placement, moving the coordinator to the middle of the house to end dropped Zigbee devices, and they value the Bluetooth proxy and the migration from another coordinator without re-pairing. Their complaints are about delivery, with units arriving opened or flashed for the wrong chipset and no simple reset. Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick owners praise a plug-and-play controller that adopts locks, thermostats and plugs with no compatibility errors and holds a two-story home and backyard, and they warn that the Long Range reach thins out on very large properties and that the US version runs on the US frequency only.
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-06p7U
- Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick
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Frequently Asked Questions
Which is better overall: Smlight SLZB-06p7U or Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick?
They serve different networks. The Smlight SLZB-06p7U is the broader device, a Zigbee and Thread coordinator with Ethernet placement, a Bluetooth proxy and USB passthrough. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is the right pick only if your devices are Z-Wave, where it is plug-and-play and carries a five-year warranty.
What is the biggest difference between the Smlight SLZB-06p7U and the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick?
The protocol. The Smlight SLZB-06p7U speaks Zigbee and Thread, the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick speaks Z-Wave only. Everything else, including placement and warranty, is secondary to matching the radio to the devices you already have.
Does the Smlight SLZB-06p7U do Z-Wave?
No. The Smlight SLZB-06p7U is a Zigbee 3.0 coordinator with Thread border routing, a Bluetooth proxy and USB-over-Ethernet passthrough, but no Z-Wave radio. Z-Wave homes need a controller like the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick.
Which one places the radio better?
The Smlight SLZB-06p7U, because it connects over Ethernet with PoE, Wi-Fi or USB and can be mounted centrally. The Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick is USB-only and stays beside the host, though owners still find its range strong for most homes.
Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-06p7U?
A Home Assistant home built on Zigbee and Thread whose coordinator needs to sit away from the server, especially one adding Bluetooth sensors or wanting a Thread border router.
Who should buy the Zooz Z-Wave Long Range Stick?
Anyone whose smart home devices are Z-Wave, who wants a plug-and-play 800 Series controller for locks and sensors, and who values the five-year warranty.
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$33.47- Zooz
Z-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- Smlight
SLZB-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 
DonglesSmlightSLZB-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
