Smlight SLZB-06M is a Zigbee 3.0 Ethernet, PoE, USB or WiFi dongle designed to integrate with Zigbee2MQTT and Home Assistant ZHA.
Why is Smlight SLZB-06(M) priced like this?
Smlight SLZB-06M is a Zigbee adapter with Ethernet, USB, WiFi and POE support, which comes pre-flashed and ready to use. It can serve as a Zigbee 3.0 gateway in Open Source home automation platforms such as Zigbee2MQTT, Home Assistant and ZHA.
It offers two modes of operation: LAN and USB, with the flexibility to switch between them via firmware or a button. This allows multiple Zigbee coordinators to be connected to one server, extending coverage and facilitating integration into a single instance of Home Assistant.
Advantages and Disadvantages of SLZB-06 M Dongle
Advantages
- Zigbee 3.0technology: If you are looking to unify your smart home, Zigbee technology is an excellent bet and this SLZB-06M dongle can be used as a coordinator or router.
- Coordinator or Router: You can choose 2 Zigbee 3.0 modes (Coordinator or Router).
- Flexibility: You can use SLZB-06M as Zigbee 3.0 dongle to LAN, WiFi or USB.
- POE Support: You can power your SLZB-06M dongle via PoE or Type-C. Supports 802.3af PoE standard.
- Long range: The SLZB-06M Zigbee adapter has an integrated +20 dB amplifier and +5 dB antenna, allowing you to cover large spaces.
- Compatibility: This Smlight Zigbee dongle is compatible with Zigbee2Mqtt and ZHA so you can use it with Home Assistant and Jeedom.
Disadvantages
- Size: The SLZB-06 M Zigbee dongle takes up space so you have to take it into account.
Example of personal uses of the Zigbee dongle SLZB-06M
Example of professional uses of the Zigbee dongle SLZB-06 M
Comparison Smlight SLZB-06 M vs. others
Technical Characteristics SLZB-06M Smlight
- Zigbee 3.0 Main Chip: EFR32MG21 from Silicon Labs
- Main control chip: ESP32 from Espressif
- USB/UART converter: CP2102
- Ethernet network: LAN8720
- Output gain: +20dB
- Additional antenna gain: +5dB
- Ethernet support: Yes
- Wi-Fi support: Yes
- PoE support: Yes
- PoE standard: IEEE802.3af (15W)
- USB Type-C control: Yes
- ESP32 Auto-Start: Yes, via DTR / RTS
- Pre-flashed: Yes, Zigbee and ESP
- Zigbee 3.0 Coordinator Mode: Yes
- Zigbee 3.0 Router Mode: Yes
- Zigbee to Ethernet: Yes
- Zigbee to USB: Yes
- 3 modes: Zigbee to Ethernet, WiFi or USB mode
- Available in 15 languages
- Wireguard VPN plug-in support for Home Assistant
- Zigbee and Core live updates, automatic scheduled updates
- Secure connection, whitelist
- Comprehensive settings and controls
- Adjustable and sophisticated interface with light/dark modes
- Integrated help for all configurations
- For personal and professional use
SLZB-06M and SLZB-06 usage tutorial
Zigbee is a reference to create your smart home and there are different USB dongles that integrate this technology and today we are going to discover the dongle of the Ukrainian company Smlight.
But wait a minute, the size of this Smlight SLZB-06M dongle is probably striking when compared to models from other popular brands such as Sonoff, Aeotec, Conbee or Skyconnect.
It is more than just a Zigbee dongle.
This dongle is available in different versions such as the SLZB-06 which integrates a CC2652P chipset from Texas Instrument.
And SLZB-06M which integrates an EFR32MG21 chipset from Silicon Labs.
These two models work with both ZHA and Zigbee2Mqtt so they are compatible with Home Assistant and Jeedom hubs.
If we open the packaging, we can see several interesting details.
For starters, this Smlight SLZB-06M dongle has an Ethernet port and is remarkable in that you will be able to connect it to your router without having to plug it via USB directly into your home automation hub, which is very handy for a number of reasons, for example:
- Lack of space in the USB ports of our home automation hub.
- So as not to take up a USB port of this home automation hub, which we sometimes need for other functions.
- To avoid disconnections of the dongle due to lack of sufficient power when it is connected directly to a home automation hub.
- To avoid communication interference by moving the dongle away from the home automation hub. For example, Skyconnect proposes a deported cable for its dongle, although we will be limited to a distance of 50cm, so we will not have enough flexibility.
And speaking of location, what is very interesting is that you can have your home automation hub in an area that is not very strategic to cover the communications of Zigbee devices, for example, in a technical room.
Or you can have this home automation hub in a metal electrical cabinet where you lose the Zigbee communication range.
So this dongle, being able to work via Ethernet, can be installed in any strategic area of your home or building without having to be directly connected via USB to your home automation hub.
But that’s not all!
This Zigbee dongle also works over POE, i.e. it can retrieve power directly from an Ethernet cable connected to a POE router.
So if you have such a router, you don’t even need an additional power supply as this dongle can be connected to such a router.
Of course, if you don’t have a POE router, you can additionally add a USBC power supply.
And an interesting detail is that the manufacturer integrates an accessory in its packaging which is a micro USB to USBC converter if you need it.
Another very interesting criterion is that this dongle can also be connected via WIFI, i.e. if you do not want to connect this device via USB to the home automation hub or via Ethernet to a router, you also have the flexibility to connect it via WIFI and thus cover a strategic area of your home without complications.
And it is worth noting that you can also connect this dongle via USB to the home automation hub like any other Zigbee dongle, but as it is a large dongle, it would not be the most suitable in this case.
The built-in antenna of this Zigbee dongle has an integrated +20 dB amplifier and +5 dB antenna and is rotatable so you can cover large distances strategically and of course, the communication range is variable depending on the environment.
And to install this dongle, the company Smlight facilitates the task with a ruler with the markers.
And two screws to fix this dongle.
Or we can stick it thanks to 2 stickers.
When we have this dongle installed, we can see 4 types of LEDs.
- Yellow to indicate that the module is switched on.
- Blue to indicate that the coordinator is operating in USB mode.
- Green to indicate that Zigbee2MQTT is connected and the Zigbee network is functional.
- Red which is currently not used but is reserved for Zigbee2MQTT.
Now let’s find out how to configure this dongle to use it with Zigbee2Mqtt or ZHA.
Another interesting detail of this dongle is that we don’t need to look for its IP address, we only need to type in our browser, slzb-06m.local or slzb-06.local depending on the chosen model.
In this interface, the first thing we can do is change the language.
Now, from the Panel, we can see the general information of the Dongle, such as the current connection mode Ethernet, WIFI or USB. We can also see the product information.
We can see the status of the Ethernet or WIFI connection.
If you go to Mode, you can change the mode of use of this dongle at any time, such as Zigbee to Ethernet, Zigbee to WIFI or Zigbee to USB.
In the network, we have the possibility to set the IP address of the dongle if desired.
And if we connect our dongle in WIFI, we must search for our WIFI network and connect it to this network.
Now, if we access in Z2M and ZHA, we have the information of how we should configure our dongle if we use it with Zigbee2MQTT which by the way, I am going to copy this information since I am going to test this dongle with Zigbee2MQTT next.
We also have the configuration information with ZHA.
And if we use it via USB.
In security, we have options that deal precisely with security.
In VPN, we have VPN support for the Wireguard add-on for Home Assistant.
Under settings and Tools, we have additional options such as being able to change the name of our dongle and to reboot it.
We have access to firmware updates, which is very interesting to evolve this dongle over time.
We have the possibility to modify the LED indicators, such as deactivating them if they disturb us or even defining a period of deactivation, for example, during the night.
We can set the time in our country.
And we have a system log.
In about, we can access the official website of the company Smlight. We can also read the manual of the device, contact the company and learn more about this Ukrainian company.
Now we are going to see how to use it with Home Assistant and of course, the process can also be applied to Jeedom.
If you have seen my content on Zigbee2Mqtt and Home Assistant, you will know that it is in my opinion, the best option today to have an advanced smart home experience with devices communicating with Zigbee technology.
So let’s find out how to use this Smlight dongle with Zigbee2MQTT.
For this, we go to “Settings”, “Add-ons”, we can activate the Zigbee2MQTT side panel to see it on the side of our interface later, and we go to “Settings”.
In serial, I had the information of the Skyconnect Zigbee dongle, so I am going to replace this information by the information corresponding to this Smlight dongle and that you can find in its interface as we have seen previously.
Paste this information, click on Save and Restart.
Now, click on “Reset” under “Information” in Zigbee2MQTT.
And let’s follow the logs. After a few seconds, we see the ZigbeeMQTT information started, so now, we will be able to access it in the Zigbee2MQTT interface.
As if that wasn’t enough, another great advantage that I have seen in my tests is that all the Zigbee devices that I had linked to my Skyconnect dongle that I have replaced with my Smlight dongle, respond to this new dongle, so it is a very interesting detail, to be able to replace your Zigbee dongle without having to link your devices again, although of course, this is based on my tests and may not be the case in other environments.
And of course, with this dongle, we will be able to link new Zigbee devices.
After a few seconds, new Zigbee devices that we have linked appear.
And that’s it, we now have control of our smart home with Zigbee devices thanks to this Smlight dongle.
If you want to use ZHA instead of Zigbee2MQTT, go to “Settings” and “Devices and services”.
You have the Smlight dongle available in the interface and you have to click on “Configure”.
A popup will appear and you must click on “Send”.
Now, you can select the “Hardware” mode and click on “Submit”.
And you can choose the option “Keep radio network settings”.
Click on “Finish”.
Ready, if we go to “Zigbee Home Automation” and click on “Add device”, we will be able to link Zigbee devices.
After a few seconds, Zigbee devices that we have linked are displayed.
And now, we have control of our Zigbee devices thanks to this Zigbee and ZHA dongle.
This SMLIGHT device has yet another very useful advantage and that is that it can also be used as a Zigbee router, that is, instead of using it as a coordinator in your installation, it is also possible to use it as a device in your Zigbee network and this is very interesting if for example you want to increase the range of communications in your house or building since this SMLIGHT dongle has an external antenna and it is also flexible and can be installed both in a socket and via Ethernet in a POE router.
For this, from the interface of your dongle, go to “Settings and tools”, under “Firmware update”.
Now, go to “Zigbee Wireless Update (OTA)” and click on “Check for Zigbee Updates”.
And we can upgrade the Router firmware type to use this dongle as a Router in your Zigbee network.
After a few seconds, you can refresh the page and verify that you have the firmware version corresponding to Router mode.
And now, from the Zigbee2MQTT interface, you will be able to activate the inclusion mode and the dongle should automatically join your network.
If this is not the case, you can access the local interface of the dongle and under “Settings and tools” and “General settings”, you can click on “Reconnect router”.
That’s it, the device appears on your Zigbee network and will therefore be able to help improve the communications of your Zigbee devices.
You can add more SMLIGHT dongles to your Zigbee network by following the same process, whether it is the Texas Instrument or Silicon Labs model.
And when you have added these dongles, you can access the Zigbee mesh network and as you can see, it has formed connections between the different devices so you will certainly have more stable communications.
This Zigbee dongle is definitely going to be very interesting for many use cases and is therefore a guaranteed success.
