350m? 450m?! We Tested the Communication Distance of SONOFF Zigbee Dongles

Before introducing the test setup, we defined several core testing principles:

• Real products: 
  All devices used in this test are brand-new retail units, identical to those available on the SONOFF official website, Amazon, and other marketplaces.
• Real data: 
  All results presented are based on actual recorded measurements during the test.
• Reproducibility: 
  Under the same conditions, our test methodology should yield comparable results. 

Test Locations

This test was conducted using two defined points:

• Starting Point
  The router, Raspberry Pi, laptop, and the Zigbee dongle under test were placed at this location.
  The dongle was mounted on a stand at a height of 1.2 m, and its position remained unchanged throughout the test.
• End Point
  A downlight modified with ZBMINIR2, also fixed at a height of 1.2 m.
  The end point was gradually moved to distances of 150 m / 250 m / 350 m / 450 m.

Test Procedure

At each distance point, control tests were performed using a unified process:

• Channel configuration
  Zigbee channel: 26
  Wi-Fi channel: 1
• Control method
  Remote device control via MQTT commands
• Control frequency
  One command every 2 seconds
• Number of attempts
  30 consecutive control attempts at each distance

During testing, we simultaneously recorded:

• Control success and failure
• Control latency (ms)
• Zigbee link quality indicator (LQI)

Real Testing

*For a detailed view of the distance test, please refer to the video published on the SONOFF YouTube channel, which documents the testing process in greater detail.

On February 4, 2026, the SONOFF test team traveled from Shenzhen, China (the headquarters of SONOFF) to Huizhou, China (the location of the SONOFF manufacturing facility). The tests were conducted on an open, straight road, in accordance with the test plan described above.

With the starting point (Dongle) and the endpoint (ZBMINIR2) positioned at the same height of 1.2 meters, the test distance was gradually increased. At each distance interval, we evaluated the performance of ZBDongle-E / Dongle-LMG21 / Dongle-PMG24 / Dongle-M, focusing on device pairing and device control behavior under varying ranges.

After a full day of testing, we obtained a set of reliable and repeatable results, forming the basis for further analysis.

Data Analysis

Communication Distance and Control Stability

Under open, unobstructed test conditions:

• ZBDongle-E, Dongle-M, Dongle-LMG21, and Dongle-PMG24 were all able to successfully pair devices and maintain stable control at distances of 150 m, 250 m, and 350 m.
• Within a 350 m range, the control latency of all SONOFF Zigbee Dongles remained concentrated in the 60–80 ms range, with relatively small fluctuations.
• The Dongle-M was still able to control devices at a distance of 450 m.

Note: Due to site limitations, distances beyond 450 meters (such as 550 m or 650 m) were not tested for the Dongle-M.)