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Dongles · Head to head

Smlight SLZB-MRW10 vs Sonoff ZBDongle-P

Full Smart Dongles comparison in 2026

Updated October 2026
Data from Amazon and official Smlight and Sonoff sites.
2026 verdict
If you want one box to serve Zigbee, Thread, Z-Wave and Bluetooth, the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 wins this matchup over the Sonoff ZBDongle-P.
Smlight SLZB-MRW10
Winner
Smlight SLZB-MRW10
$100.00
Buy on Amazon USACheck price
It carries a Z-Wave Series 800 controller and Zigbee and Thread radios with a Bluetooth proxy, and it connects over Ethernet with PoE, USB or Wi-Fi, where the Sonoff is a single-protocol USB Zigbee stick. Both work with Home Assistant and Zigbee2MQTT and both put +20 dBm of transmit power behind the Zigbee radio. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P is far cheaper, carries a two-year warranty against one, and stays the simpler choice for a Zigbee-only network. Pick the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 to consolidate Zigbee, Z-Wave and Thread in one network-placed gateway, and the Sonoff ZBDongle-P if Zigbee is all you run.
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FeatureSmlight SLZB-MRW10Sonoff ZBDongle-PWinner
Price$100.00$33.47Sonoff ZBDongle-P
Rating5.04.6Smlight SLZB-MRW10
Warranty1 year2 yearsSonoff ZBDongle-P
PowerUSB, PoEUSBSmlight SLZB-MRW10
ConnectivityUSB, Ethernet, 2.4 GHz WiFiUSBSmlight SLZB-MRW10
Z-Wave ControllerYESNOSmlight SLZB-MRW10
Thread Border RouterYESNOSmlight SLZB-MRW10
Antenna Gain+5dB+2dBiSmlight SLZB-MRW10
Dual NetworkYESNOSmlight SLZB-MRW10
Bluetooth ProxyYESNOSmlight SLZB-MRW10
Zigbee Chip ModelCC2652P10CC2652PDifferent strengths
Zigbee RouterYESYESTie

What the differences mean

Radios on board

The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 packs Zigbee, Thread and a Z-Wave Series 800 controller, plus a Bluetooth proxy, into one device. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P has a single Zigbee radio, so a home with Z-Wave or Thread devices needs a second dongle beside it.

Z-Wave controller

The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 includes a genuine Z-Wave Series 800 controller on a Silicon Labs chip. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P has no Z-Wave at all, which makes it the wrong coordinator for a home with Z-Wave locks or sensors.

Placement

The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 connects over Ethernet with PoE, USB or Wi-Fi, so it can live centrally on one cable. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P is a USB stick that stays with the host, which is the difference when the mesh needs the radio elsewhere.

Price and warranty

The Sonoff ZBDongle-P costs a fraction of the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 and carries a two-year warranty against one. If you only need Zigbee, the Sonoff is the value pick, and the Smlight's extra radios become money spent on protocols you never enable.

Dual network

The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 runs Zigbee and Thread simultaneously with a dedicated radio for each. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P has no Thread at all, so the two cannot be compared on that count.

Which one to buy if

  • your home uses Zigbee and Z-Wave together
    Smlight SLZB-MRW10

    The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 covers both, plus Thread and Bluetooth, in one network-placed box instead of two USB sticks.

  • Zigbee is the only protocol you run
    Sonoff ZBDongle-P

    The Sonoff ZBDongle-P does the Zigbee job for far less, with a two-year warranty and years of community support.

  • the coordinator needs to be off the server
    Smlight SLZB-MRW10

    Ethernet with PoE lets the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 sit in the middle of the house while the server stays wherever it lives.

  • you want the simplest possible first Zigbee setup
    Sonoff ZBDongle-P

    The Sonoff is detected instantly with no flashing, and its bulk is the only thing to work around.

What owners say

Sonoff ZBDongle-P owners describe it as the reliable default for Home Assistant Zigbee. The Texas Instruments CC2652P radio is detected the moment Home Assistant reboots, it works with ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT across HAOS, Docker, Proxmox and NAS hosts, and moving an existing network onto it is quick, with owners reporting that IEEE addresses do not change so automations survive. They praise the range from the external antenna and the +20 dBm of transmit power, call it excellent value, and note it usually works out of the box with no firmware flash. Their warnings are about hardware and setup: a bulky aluminum case that can crowd a USB port and usually needs a short extension cable, virtual machine passthrough that takes some configuring, and firmware-flash instructions that are rough even though flashing is optional.

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-MRW10
  • Sonoff ZBDongle-P

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Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better overall: Smlight SLZB-MRW10 or Sonoff ZBDongle-P?

The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 wins on capability: Zigbee, Thread and a Z-Wave Series 800 controller in one device, with Ethernet and PoE placement. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P wins on value and simplicity: it is far cheaper, carries a two-year warranty and is the proven pick for a Zigbee-only network.

What is the biggest difference between the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 and the Sonoff ZBDongle-P?

The protocols they cover. The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 handles Zigbee, Thread and Z-Wave with a Bluetooth proxy, while the Sonoff ZBDongle-P is a single Zigbee 3.0 coordinator. If you have Z-Wave or Thread devices today or plan them soon, only the Smlight covers them in one device.

Does the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 really do Z-Wave?

Yes. The Smlight SLZB-MRW10 carries a Z-Wave Series 800 controller on a Silicon Labs chip alongside its Zigbee and Thread radios. The Z-Wave side is region-locked, so the unit must match your country's Z-Wave frequency to talk to existing locks and sensors.

Can the Smlight SLZB-MRW10 run Zigbee and Thread at the same time?

Yes. It supports dual network mode with a dedicated radio for each protocol. The Sonoff ZBDongle-P has no Thread support, so this is a capability only the Smlight adds to the pair.

Who should buy the Smlight SLZB-MRW10?

A Home Assistant home with Z-Wave devices, or one adding Thread and Bluetooth sensors, that wants a single network-connected gateway rather than two or three USB sticks plugged into the server.

Who should buy the Sonoff ZBDongle-P?

Anyone whose needs stop at Zigbee and who wants the cheapest proven coordinator for Home Assistant, with the range of an external antenna and a two-year warranty.

Full comparison table

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