Explainer Ecosystems
The SmartThings Dongle, explained
The SmartThings Dongle adds Zigbee and Thread to a Samsung TV whose built-in hub reaches only Wi-Fi. Which models need it, what it will not do, and buying one in Australia.
The SmartThings Dongle is a USB stick that adds two radios to a Samsung TV, so it can talk to the sensors, buttons and lights that a TV cannot otherwise hear. It gets described as a way to bring an older Samsung TV up to date, and that is backwards. Samsung's list of the devices that need one is mostly recent entry and mid-tier gear.
What the dongle does
It is a USB stick, model VG-STDB10A. Plug it into a USB port on a supported Samsung device and the hub registers itself automatically. What it adds is two radios: Zigbee and Thread.
On its own, the hub in an entry or mid-tier Samsung device reaches Wi-Fi devices and brands that connect through their own cloud. That is all. Sensors, buttons, blinds and locks are different: many run on low-power radios the device does not have, and without the dongle it cannot hear them. Thread is also the radio Matter-over-Thread devices use, so battery-powered Matter gear needs a Thread radio in the home before it will connect at all.
| What you can connect | Entry or mid-tier device (CU, DU) on its own | The same device with the dongle |
|---|---|---|
| Wi-Fi devices | Yes | Yes |
| Cloud-connected brands | Yes | Yes |
| Zigbee devices | No | Yes |
| Thread devices | No | Yes |
| Z-Wave devices | No | No |
It is not an accessory for old TVs
Samsung's dongle support article lists the models that require one, and they are not old stock: the 2023 CU8000 and CU7000, the 2024 DU9000, DU8000 and DU7000, the LS01D and LST9D, some M-series monitors, LPU projectors and the HW-LS60D soundbar. Note the HW-LS60D. It is easy to assume a Samsung soundbar carrying SmartThings has the radios in it, and this one does not.
The rule underneath that list is tier, not year. Samsung's premium lines carry the hub and its radios already: select QLED, Neo QLED and OLED TVs from 2023 onwards, The Frame and The Serif from 2024, some M-series monitors, LPS9-series projectors, the HW-Q990 soundbars and Family Hub fridges. The cheaper ranges in the same years do not.
What it does not add
Z-Wave. No Samsung device with a built-in hub supports Z-Wave, with or without the dongle, and no accessory changes that. If Z-Wave is what you need, it has to be a standalone hub with a Z-Wave radio in it, and Samsung's newest hub hardware has dropped Z-Wave altogether.
It also does not make the TV a substitute for a standalone hub. It adds two radios to the hub that is already in there. It does not change what that hub is, or where it lives.
Buying one in Australia
The dongle is the exception in a range that barely reaches this country. It has an Australian SKU, VG-STDB10A/XY, a Samsung Australia page of its own, and mainstream Australian retailers list it, which no other SmartThings hardware manages.
Fitting it
- Check your model first
Find the model number on the back of the device or in its settings, and check it against Samsung's dongle support article. If the radios are already built in, the dongle adds nothing.
- Plug it into a USB port
The dongle goes into a USB port on the TV, monitor, projector or soundbar.
- Let it register itself
The hub registers automatically. From there you add Zigbee and Thread devices in the SmartThings app, signed in to the Samsung account the device already uses.
Should you buy one
Buy it if your Samsung device is on Samsung's list and you want Zigbee or Thread devices: sensors, buttons, blinds, low-power lights. It uses a port you were not using, and it saves buying a separate hub in a market where hubs are hard to get.
Skip it if your device already has the radios, if you need Z-Wave, or if you want the hub to be something you can move, replace or keep. The dongle comes out, but the hub is part of the television, and it goes when the television goes.
Frequently asked questions
Is the SmartThings Dongle sold in Australia?
Yes. It has an Australian SKU, VG-STDB10A/XY, a Samsung Australia page, and Australian retailers list it. Stock and price vary, so it is worth checking more than one.
Does the SmartThings Dongle work with a Family Hub fridge?
You should not need it. Family Hub fridges are on Samsung's built-in hub list, so the radios are already there. The devices that need the dongle are entry and mid-tier TVs, monitors, projectors and the HW-LS60D soundbar.
Does the SmartThings Dongle add Z-Wave?
No. It adds Zigbee and Thread only. No Samsung device with a built-in hub supports Z-Wave, with or without the dongle, so Z-Wave needs a standalone hub with a Z-Wave radio in it.
Do I need the dongle if my Samsung TV already has a SmartThings hub?
Having a hub is not the question, because all of these TVs have one. The question is which radios that hub has. On select premium models the Zigbee and Thread radios are already there. On entry and mid-tier models the hub reaches only Wi-Fi and cloud-connected devices, and the dongle is what adds the radios.
Do I need the dongle if I already have a standalone SmartThings hub?
No. A standalone hub has its own Zigbee radio, and the current models carry Thread as well, so your devices pair to that instead. The dongle exists for people who would rather not add another box to the house.
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