Zigbee coordinators are the core part of building a Zigbee network, without them a network cannot be formed. They orchestrate and manage your devices, define how and when they talk to each other, send and push information between them and keep the stack in check.
So, It’s simple: the better the coordinator, the better the quality of your mesh network.
This article is an overview of the best Zigbee coordinators for Home Assistant in 2023, organized by a couple of different criteria such as radio type, integration compatibility and price/availability.
About Zigbee Adapter Types
Before deep diving into the list, it’s important to differentiate between the types of Zigbee dongles available. Depending on your setup, some maybe be more suitable than the other:
- USB Zigbee Dongles
- Connected via USB
- Powered via USB
- LAN (Ethernet) Zigbee Dongles
- Connected via Ethernet
- Powered via USB or PoE (Power-over-Ethernet)
- Hybrid Zigbee Dongles
- Connected via USB or Ethernet
- Powered via USB or PoE (Power-over-Ethernet)
The easiest of the lot are USB Zigbee sticks, you simply plug them in your server and you are good to go. LAN/PoE coordinator allow for a more versatile installation, you can attach the dongle anywhere on your network. Hybrids are a combination of the two with interchangeable operation/power modes.
EFR32MG21 vs CC2652P
The second important difference between current Zigbee dongles is the type of chip they carry. The EFR32MG21 [Datasheet] is newer, more powerful but is still labelled as experimental in many Zigbee applications, such as Zigbee2MQTT. The CC2652P [Datasheet] is a bit older, although still relevant and powerful enough to form a sizeable Zigbee network. It’s supported in all Zigbee applications.
| Feature | EFR32MG21 (Silicon Labs) | CC2652P (Texas Instruments) |
|---|---|---|
| Processor | Arm Cortex-M33, 80 MHz | Arm Cortex-M4F, 48 MHz |
| Wireless Protocols | Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth LE | Zigbee, Thread, Bluetooth LE |
| Output Power | Up to +20 dBm | Up to +20 dBm |
| Security Features | Secure Boot, TrustZone, Cryptography | AES-128 Encryption |
| Flash Memory | Up to 1 MB | Up to 512 KB |
| RAM | Up to 128 KB | Up to 80 KB |
| Peripherals | UART, SPI, I2C, ADC, GPIO, etc. | UART, SPI, I2C, ADC, GPIO, etc. |
| Development Tools | Simplicity Studio | TI Code Composer Studio |
| Operating Temperature | -40°C to +125°C | -40°C to +85°C |
| Supply Voltage Range | 1.71V to 3.8V | 1.8V to 3.8V |
Top 5 USB Zigbee Dongles for Home Assistant
5. ZigStar Stick v4
Interface: USB
Chip: CC2652P
Amplifier: +19.5dBm
Antenna: +3dBi Included
Flashing: Instructions
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore | Tindie
4. SMLIGHT SLZB-02 Coordinator
Interface: USB
Chip: CC2652P
Amplifier: +20dBm
Antenna: +6dBm Included
Flashing: Instructions
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore | Tindie
3. Sonoff ZBDongle-P
Interface: USB
Chip: CC2652P
Amplifier: +20dBm (Requires flashing)
Antenna: +5dBm Included
Flashing: Instructions
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Amazon | AliExpress | Itead.cc
2. Sonoff ZBDongle-E
Interface: USB
Chip: EFR32MG21
Amplifier: +20dBm
Flashing: Instructions
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Amazon | AliExpress | Itead.cc
1. Home Assistant SkyConnect
Interface: USB
Chip: EFR32MG21
Amplifier: +20dBm
Flashing: Instructions
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Official Webstore
Top 3 LAN Zigbee Dongles for Home Assistant
3. TubesZS CC2652P2 PoE Coordinator
Interface: LAN/PoE
Chip: CC2652P2
Amplifier: +20dBm
Flashing: Instructions
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore
2. SMLIGHT SLZB-05 Coordinator
Interface: LAN, Power: USB
Chip: CC2652P
Amplifier: +20dBm
Flashing: ZigStar Multi Tool
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore
1. TubesZS EFR32MGM21 PoE Coordinator
Interface: LAN/PoE
Chip: EFR32MGM21
Amplifier: +20dBm
Flashing: Instructions
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore
Top 5 HYBRID Zigbee Dongles for Home Assistant
5. ZigStar LAN Gateway
Interface: LAN/USB, Power: USB
Chip: CC2652P
Amplifier: +20dBm
Flashing: ZigStar Multi Tool
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore | Tindie
4. TubesZS CC2652P2 Hybrid Coordinator
Interface: LAN/USB, Power: USB
Chip: CC2652P
Amplifier: +19.5dBm
Flashing: ZigStar Multi Tool
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore
3. ZigStar Olizig
Interface: LAN/USB, Power: PoE/USB
Chip: CC2652P
Amplifier: +20dBm
Flashing: ZigStar Multi Tool
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore | Tindie
2. TubesZS EFR32MGM21 Hybrid Coordinator
Interface: LAN/USB, Power: USB
Chip: EFR32MGM21
Amplifier: +19.5dBm
Flashing: ZigStar Multi Tool
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: Webstore
1. SMLIGHT SLZB-06 Coordinator
Interface: LAN/USB, Power: PoE/USB
Chip: CC2652P
Amplifier: +20dBm
Flashing: ZigStar Multi Tool
Home Assistant Compatibility:
ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT
Price: AliExpress | Amazon | Webstore
Best Zigbee Dongle for ZHA
The best Zigbee Dongle for ZHA at the moment is the official Home Assistant SkyConnect stick. It’s based on the latest EFR32MG21 chip by Silicon Labs, it’s capable of running simultaneous Zigbee and Thread networks and is considered relatively future proof. It’s USB only though, so It might not be what you are looking for.
Best Zigbee Dongle for Zigbee2MQTT
The best Zigbee dongle for Zigbee2MQTT are any of the CC2652-based coordinators. EFR32MG21 dongles are still labelled ‘experimental’ for Zigbee2MQTT, so the former is your safest bet. My pick is the Sonoff ZBDongle-P, although the SMLIGHT SLZB-06 will work perfectly fine while giving you more flexibility.
Best Zigbee Dongle for Deconz/Phoscon
The best Zigbee Dongle was and always will be the Conbee II stick. It’s the only current coordinator that will work with Deconz and I consider it legacy at this point. It has a weaker chip than any of the other dongles on this list, so only go for the Conbee if you have a small Zigbee network.
On the other hand, the Conbee II is a highly documented and used coordinator, works with ZHA, Zigbee2MQTT and Deconz. If you looking to start with a small to medium Zigbee mesh network, the Conbee can be a solid choice.
Summary Table
| Model | Chip | Interface | Antenna | Integration | Price | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ZigStar Stick V4 | CC2652P | USB | Amplifier: 20dBm Antenna: 3dBi | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $33 | Webstore Tindie |
| SMLIGHT SLZB-02 | CC2652P | USB | Amplifier: 20dBm Antenna: 6dBi | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $18 | Webstore Tindie |
| Sonoff ZBDongle-P | CC2652P | USB | Amplifier: 20dBm | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $20 | AliExpress Amazon Webstore |
| Sonoff ZBDongle-E | EFR32MG21 | USB | Amplifier: 20dBm | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT (Experimental) | $23 | AliExpress Amazon Webstore |
| HA SkyConnect | EFR32MG21 | USB | Amplifier: 20dBm | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT (Experimental) | $45 | Webstore |
| TubesZS CC2652P2 PoE | CC2652P2 | PoE | Amplifier: 20dBm | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $74 | Webstore |
| SMLIGHT SLZB-05 | CC2652P | LAN | Amplifier: 20dBm Antenna: 6dBi | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $25 | Webstore |
| TubesZS EFR32MGM21 PoE | EFR32MG21 | PoE | Amplifier: 20dBm | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT (Experimental) | $76 | Webstore |
| ZigStar Lan Gateway | CC2652P | Hybrid | Amplifier: 20dBm Antenna: 3dBi | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $42 | Webstore Tindie |
| TubesZS CC2652P2 Hybrid | CC2652P2 | Hybrid | Amplifier: 20dBm | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $58 | Webstore |
| SMLIGHT SLZB-06 | CC2652P | Hybrid | Amplifier: 20dBm Antenna: 5dBi | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $55 | AliExpress Amazon Webstore |
| ZigStar Olizig | CC2652P | Hybrid | Amplifier: 20dBm Antenna: 3dBi | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT | $60 | Webstore Tindie |
| TubesZS EFR32MGM21 Hybrid | EFR32MG21 | Hybrid | Amplifier: 20dBm | ZHA Zigbee2MQTT (Experimental) | $58 | Webstore |
