DIYANI Smart Dongle 1P - Zigbee 3.0 coordinator & Thread‑ready

Your Home Assistant is running smoothly, you have a few smart lights and sensors, but now you want to expand further. That's when you need a Zigbee coordinator: the central device that connects all Zigbee devices in your home. There are dozens of options, from dirt-cheap dongles with no support to overpriced hardware you'll never fully use. What you're looking for is something that just works, is directly compatible with Home Assistant, receives reliable firmware updates, and doesn't lock you into a closed ecosystem.

The DIYANI Smart Dongle 1P is exactly that. The dongle is modeled after the official Home Assistant ZBT-1 and has full firmware compatibility with it. This means you use the same trusted firmware flasher as for the official HA dongle, you get the same stability, and you're not tied to origin-specific software. Plug it in, Home Assistant recognizes it automatically, and you'll be operational as a Zigbee coordinator within minutes.

EFR32MG21 with +20 dBm Transmit Power

The core of the DIYANI Smart Dongle 1P is the EFR32MG21 wireless SoC from Silicon Labs, the same chip found in the official Home Assistant Connect ZBT-1. With a transmit power of +20 dBm and a compact rotatable omni-antenna (90° vertical and 360° horizontal adjustable), the dongle covers a range of approximately 250 meters in open field. Indoors, the range depends on walls and obstacles, but the powerful radio ensures a stable Zigbee mesh even in multi-story homes.

Compact Antenna, Flexible Positioning

Unlike dongles with large, separate SMA antennas, the DIYANI Smart Dongle 1P has a compact integrated stub antenna that rotates directly with the dongle's position. The antenna is adjustable on two axes so you can always aim it optimally, without it blocking neighboring USB ports or requiring a separate cable.

Firmware via the official HA Flasher

Firmware updates are done via the official Home Assistant SkyConnect flasher at home-assistant-skyconnect.netlify.app/firmware-update. Choose the SMLIGHT SLZB-07 device profile in the Silabs Firmware Builder for alternative firmware. This way, you always stay up-to-date with the latest EmberZNet coordinator firmware without waiting for manufacturer-specific releases.

Thread Border Router via Firmware

Do you want to add Matter-over-Thread devices to Home Assistant in the future? Then you can easily flash the dongle to OpenThread RCP firmware via the HA interface. Please note: Zigbee and Thread cannot be active simultaneously on one dongle. When switching, you will lose your Zigbee network on this coordinator, unless you migrate to another coordinator beforehand.

🏠 Home Assistant Integration

Connect the DIYANI Smart Dongle 1P to a USB port on your Home Assistant server (Raspberry Pi, NUC, mini-PC, or other Linux host). Home Assistant automatically recognizes the dongle via the CP2102N USB-to-UART bridge driver. Then add ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT as an integration and start pairing Zigbee devices immediately. The dongle also works excellent with openHAB and other open-source platforms with serial access.

🔧 Practical Automation Example

You want to combine motion sensors, smart lights, and a door contact in Home Assistant. With the DIYANI Smart Dongle 1P as a coordinator, you connect all these Zigbee devices directly to one network. Set up Zigbee2MQTT so that the lights in the hallway turn on automatically when the motion sensor activates, and turn off again after 3 minutes without motion. Everything runs locally, without the cloud, without delay.

📦 Installation

Mount the antenna on the dongle and set it to the desired angle. Connect the dongle to a USB port on your server. If necessary, install the CP2102N VCP driver via silabs.com. Open Home Assistant or Zigbee2MQTT; the system will automatically recognize the dongle. Preferably use a short USB extension cable and place the dongle away from USB 3.0 ports and metal obstructions for optimal signal range.

Advantages and Disadvantages

• ✅ Full compatibility with official Home Assistant ZBT-1 firmware
• ✅ EFR32MG21 chip from Silicon Labs, proven stable and widely supported
• ✅ +20 dBm transmit power for strong range
• ✅ Compact rotatable stub antenna, no separate external antenna required
• ✅ Plug-and-play with ZHA and Zigbee2MQTT in Home Assistant
• ✅ Firmware updates via the official HA SkyConnect web flasher
• ✅ Thread Border Router possible via firmware change
• ✅ Also works with openHAB and other open-source platforms
• ❌ Zigbee and Thread cannot be active simultaneously on one dongle
• ❌ Switching to Thread removes the Zigbee network on this coordinator
• ❌ No network connectivity (LAN/PoE/WiFi): USB-only

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the DIYANI Smart Dongle 1P compatible with the official HA ZBT-1 firmware?

Yes, completely. The dongle runs on the same EFR32MG21 chip and supports the same firmware. You use the official Home Assistant SkyConnect flasher for all updates.

Does the dongle work directly after connecting to Home Assistant?

Yes. Home Assistant automatically recognizes the dongle. Add ZHA or Zigbee2MQTT as an integration and you can immediately pair Zigbee devices.

Can I convert the dongle to Thread later?

Yes, via the Home Assistant interface, you select "Use as Thread adapter". After flashing, the dongle supports Matter-over-Thread, but Zigbee will no longer be active. Migrate your Zigbee network to another coordinator beforehand if you want to keep it.

How do I update the firmware?

Via home-assistant-skyconnect.netlify.app/firmware-update. Alternatively: use the Silabs Firmware Builder and choose the SMLIGHT SLZB-07 device profile.

Does the dongle need an external antenna?

No. The dongle has a compact built-in stub antenna that you can adjust on two axes. A USB extension cable is recommended for optimal signal placement.

Comparison Table

Specifications

✅ slimhuisje.nl supplies the DIYANI Smart Dongle 1P tested and ready for use, with personal advice if you have questions about the best Zigbee setup for your Home Assistant.