Recommended Z-wave and Zigbee gateways

Hardware
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Setup: HAOS running on Proxmox as a VM.

I’ve read through some of the devices that are available (e.g. Zigbee Coordinator, Zigbee USB sticks, Z-wave USB sticks, etc.) and trying to find out what’s the most current information on what’s recommended and personal experiences you can share for how to make this as easy as possible. I know that Zigbee can be unstable at times because of WiFi signals, so what I was thinking of is a Z-wave USB stick and maybe one of the Zigbee POE coordinators, but I don’t want to over complicate things. Any pointers to current products out there would be appreciated. P.S. I do have an Ikea Zigbee repeater that I used in a previous and different home automation system and that seemed to really help with Zigbee stability.

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Definitely go with a PoE connected Zigbee coordinator. This allows you to move it away from interference from USB3 ports and metal structures.

You can position it in the middle of your house for best coverage.

Connection is dead simple with zigbee2mqtt. No idea about ZHA as I’ve never used it.

I like tubes coordinators (https://tubeszb.com/) but there are others.

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Thank you, I will check them out. Do you have a guide you can point me to that explains how to set all this up within HA? Running HAOS on a VM in Proxmox.

4

I’m happy with my SLZB-06. It’s PoE-capable but I’m currently running it over WiFi with power via the USB-C port with ZHA. Having my coordinator in the middle of my home greatly reduced my dropouts. I’ve had two in the last few months since I switched to it, as opposed to one every week or two with my previous coordinator. My devices are also much faster to respond - previously a few devices on the edges of my network would have a long delay for zigbee remote clicks to take effect.

I also like that the company is based in the Ukraine, and yet another way to show my support for the country and its people.

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So you basically plug the unit into a USB-C device plugged into the wall and connect via WiFi, rather than ethernet? As far as getting it set up, is there a guide?

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Yep, I have a handful of small usb-c power plugs I got off Amazon, so I just plugged it into one of those.

The user manual’s available online. This is the one I have (as opposed to the variations SLZB-06M, etc.) - Getting started | SLZB-06 * Series Manual

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For several years, I’ve been using the Sonoff Bridge with Tasmota firmware, and it has been great—still working perfectly. I really appreciate its ability to connect to Wi-Fi, allowing me to place it wherever I want. However, its limitation is that it only works with ZHA.

I also use the Sonoff Zigbee 3.0 dongle since my home spans multiple floors, requiring several Zigbee connections. The Zigbee 3.0 works seamlessly with both Z2M and ZHA, proving to be reliable and efficient.

Now, as I plan for another coordinator for a different floor (the house is still under construction), I’m leaning towards purchasing the SLZB-06. It has earned a solid reputation in recent years, and since my network is now equipped with PoE, it seems like a great choice.

As far as getting it set up, is there a guide?

You can find a lot on youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=+SLZB-06

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Just curious, what are the differences between the several models they have?

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Thanks for the input - I do see people like their unit…it looks like it has the most flexibility on how it’s set up, too.

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The simplest option is probably the Sonoff Dongle, as it’s very easy to set up. However, you’ll need to consider the placement of your Home Assistant to ensure good coverage and connectivity.

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Ya, that’s the issue. I have had Zigbee issues in the past on another home automation system and want to avoid that. Trying to determine the differences between the models they have (SLZB-06) etc.?