WS501 vs WS513 vs WS523 vs WS558: which Milesight LoRaWAN switch or socket?
Short answer: These are four different physical form factors doing related jobs. The WS501 is an in-wall light switch. The WS513 is an in-wall socket outlet. The WS523 is a plug-in portable socket. The WS558 controls eight lighting circuits from one DIN-rail or wall-mounted unit. All four are LoRaWAN Class C, all four meter voltage, current, power factor, active power and kWh to typically plus or minus 3 per cent, and all four support Milesight D2D.
UK buyers: check the socket type before anything else
This is the decisive point on this page and it is not on the marketing pages.
The WS513 datasheet lists two part numbers only: 16A-W11-EU, which is a Type F outlet, and 16A-W11-FR, which is Type E. There is no UK Type G version documented. If you are fitting BS 1363 sockets in a UK building, the WS513 as specified is not the product.
The WS523 does list a UK option. Its socket type and rated current line includes UK-13A alongside the US, EU, AU, CN and FR variants, and the unit carries UKCA approval. For a UK site that needs a metered, remotely switchable socket, the WS523 is the one that exists.
Which one do I need?
WS501 for switching a lighting circuit or an appliance from a wall plate, where you want the physical switch to stay a physical switch. It is 1-gang; the WS502 in the same datasheet is the 2-gang version. It handles 10 A resistive or 5 A inductive per gang, up to 1000 W per gang and 2000 W total. Critically it is a 3-wire fitting and requires a neutral at the switch, which a lot of older UK lighting circuits do not have at the switch drop. Check that before you order, because it is the most common reason this product cannot be used in a retrofit.
WS523 for anything portable, temporary or retrofit. It plugs into an existing socket, so there is no electrical work, no neutral question and no isolation. It also carries a capacitor for power outage alerts, so it reports that the supply has failed rather than simply going quiet, which is genuinely useful for monitoring a fridge or a server room UPS feed.
WS558 when one unit needs to control several lighting circuits, which is the usual case in a commercial building. Eight outputs, 5 A per output for capacitive and inductive loads or 10 A resistive, 16 A total on the LN type. It wall or DIN rail mounts, so it belongs in a distribution board rather than on a wall plate. There are two variants: LN type switches live circuits and meters them, Switch type provides eight passive switch contacts and does not meter. Choose deliberately, because only the LN type reports energy.
What none of them are
All four are IP20 and rated for indoor use at -20°C to +60°C. None is suitable for an outdoor, damp or wash-down location. All are Class C, which means they listen continuously for downlinks and therefore need mains power; none of these is a battery device, and that is what makes remote switching responsive rather than delayed to the next uplink.
Milesight WS501 / WS502 LoRaWAN Wall Switch – WS501-868M (1-gang)
WS501-868M
£44.89 ex VAT (£53.87 inc. VAT)
View the WS501-868M
Milesight WS513 Smart Wall Socket
WS513-868M
£62.85 ex VAT (£75.42 inc. VAT)
Socket TypeEU: Type F, with Safety Door (PN 16A-W11-EU) / FR: Type E, with Safety Door (PN 16A-W11-FR) — no UK Type G (BS 1363) version is documented
View the WS513-868M
Milesight WS523 Smart Portable Socket
WS523-868M
£62.85 ex VAT (£75.42 inc. VAT)
Socket Type & Rated CurrentOrdered per region — UK-13A (PN 13A-UK, Type G, max current 13 A); also EU-16A, FR-16A, US-15A, AU-10A, CN-10A and CN-16A
View the WS523-868M
Milesight WS558 Smart Light Controller
WS558-868M
£104.74 ex VAT (£125.69 inc. VAT)
Controlled circuits / output rating8 outputs, max 5A per output capacitive & inductive (10A resistive), 16A total on LN type
View the WS558-868MSpecification comparison
| Specification | WS501-868M | WS513-868M | WS523-868M | WS558-868M |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Features | — | Delay Switch, Button Lock, Overcurrent Protection/Alarm, Multicast, Milesight D2D Agent | Delay Switch, Button Lock, Overcurrent Protection/Alarm, Multicast, Power Outage Alert, Milesight D2D Agent | Multicast, delay switch, overcurrent protection/alarm, Milesight D2D agent |
| Antenna | — | Internal Antenna | Internal Antenna; line-of-sight transmission up to 15 km | Internal antenna |
| Configuration | — | Mobile App via NFC or Downlink | Mobile App via NFC or Downlink; NFC card emulation mode supported | NFC, USB Type-C or downlink |
| Frequency | — | IN865/RU864/EU868/US915/AU915/KR920/AS923-1&2&3&4 | CN470/IN865/RU864/EU868/US915/AU915/KR920/AS923-1&2&3&4 | CN470/IN865/RU864/EU868/US915/AU915/KR920/AS923-1&2&3&4 |
| Dimensions / Weight | — | Type F: 86.3 × 86.3 × 45.8 mm (3.4 × 3.4 × 1.8 in); Type E: 86.3 × 86.3 × 43.3 mm (3.4 × 3.4 × 1.7 in); 98.8 g | 110 × 62.3 × 34.6 mm (4.33 × 2.45 × 1.36 in, plug not included); 117.5 g | — |
| Ingress Protection | — | IP20 | IP20 | — |
| Input Voltage | — | 100~250 VAC, 50~60 Hz | — | 100~240 VAC, 50~60 Hz |
| Material & Color | — | Polycarbonate (UL94 V0), White | Polycarbonate (UL94 V0), White | — |
| Measurement | — | Voltage (VAC), Current (mA), Power Factor (%), Active Power (W), Power Consumption (kWh) | Voltage (VAC), Current (mA), Power Factor (%), Active Power (W), Power Consumption (kWh) | — |
| Measurement Accuracy | — | Typical ±3%, Maximum ±5 % (±1% Customizable) | Typical ±3%, Maximum ±5% (±1% customizable) | — |
| Mode | — | — | OTAA/ABP Class C | OTAA/ABP Class C |
| Operating Temperature | — | — | -20°C to +60°C (-4°F to +140°F) | -20°C to +60°C (-4°F to +140°F) |
| Power Control | — | Local Press Button or Remote Control | Local Press Button or Remote Control | — |
| Relative Humidity | — | — | 10% to 90% (non-condensing) | ≤95% (non-condensing) |
| Sensitivity | — | -137 dBm | — | -137 dBm |
| Tx Power | — | 16 dBm (868 MHz) / 22 dBm (915 MHz) | — | 16 dBm (868 MHz)/22 dBm (915 MHz)/19 dBm (470 MHz) |
| Approvals | — | — | — | CE, FCC; RoHS |
| Buttons | — | — | — | 1 × reset button + 8 × switch buttons |
| Capacitive & inductive load | — | — | — | LN type: max 5A per output, total 16A; Switch type: max 5A per switch |
| Circuit type | — | — | — | LN type (WS558-LN) or Switch type (WS558-Switch) |
| Dimensions | — | — | — | 145 × 90 × 40 mm (5.7 × 3.54 × 1.57 in) |
| Electrical measurement | — | — | — | LN type: voltage (VAC), current (mA), power factor (%), power (W), power consumption (kW·h) |
| Installation | — | — | — | Wall mounting, DIN rail mounting |
| LED | — | — | — | 1 × power indicator + 8 × status indicator |
| LED Indicator | — | — | 1 × Network/Power Status LED Indicator | — |
| LED Indicator / Button | — | 1 × Network/Power Status LED Indicator; 1 × Button for Power Supply On/Off or Reset | — | — |
| Material & colour | — | — | — | Creamy-white, ABS |
| Operating Temperature / Humidity | — | -20°C to +60°C (-4°F to +140°F); 0% to 95% (Non-condensing) | — | — |
| Operating Voltage | — | — | 100~250 VAC, 50~60 Hz | — |
| Ordering Information (PN) | — | 16A-W11-EU — Type F, max current 16A; 16A-W11-FR — Type E, max current 16A | — | — |
| Output | — | — | — | LN type: 8 active outputs; Switch type: 8 passive switches |
| Power Outage Alert | — | — | Equipped with capacitor for power outage alert | — |
| Protocol | — | — | — | LoRaWAN®, Milesight D2D |
| Rated Current | — | 16A (Max.) | — | — |
| Regulatory | — | — | CE, FCC, RCM, SAA, UKCA; RoHS | — |
| Resistive load | — | — | — | LN type: max 10A per output, total 16A; Switch type: max 10A per switch |
| Socket Type | — | EU: Type F, with Safety Door; FR: Type E, with Safety Door | — | — |
| Socket Type & Rated Current | — | — | US-15A/EU-16A/AU-10A/UK-13A/CN-10A/CN-16A/FR-16A, etc. | — |
| Tx Power / Sensitivity | — | — | 16 dBm (868 MHz) / -137dBm | — |
| USB | — | — | — | 1 × Type-C port for configuration and console |
| Weight | — | — | — | 274 g (LN type) / 261.3 g (Switch type) |
| Wireless Technology | — | LoRaWAN®, Milesight D2D | — | — |
| Wireless Transmission Technology | — | — | LoRaWAN, Milesight D2D | — |
| Working Mode | — | OTAA/ABP Class C | — | — |
Specifications taken from the manufacturer datasheets. Rows where the models are identical are dimmed. Prices are ex VAT and read live from the catalogue.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a UK Type G version of the WS513?
Not in the datasheet. The WS513 ordering information lists two part numbers: 16A-W11-EU, a Type F outlet with safety door, and 16A-W11-FR, a Type E outlet with safety door. No BS 1363 Type G variant is documented. For a UK socket, the WS523 portable socket lists a UK-13A option and carries UKCA approval.
Does the WS501 work without a neutral wire?
No. The WS501 datasheet specifies a 3-wire circuit with neutral required. Many older UK lighting circuits have only switched live and permanent live at the switch drop, with no neutral, which makes the WS501 unsuitable for that retrofit without pulling a new cable. Confirm the switch drop has a neutral before ordering.
Which of these can measure energy consumption?
The WS501, WS513, WS523 and the LN version of the WS558 all measure voltage, current, power factor, active power and cumulative consumption in kWh, at a typical accuracy of plus or minus 3 per cent and a maximum of plus or minus 5 per cent. The Switch type of the WS558 provides passive switch contacts only and does not meter.
How many lighting circuits can the WS558 control?
Eight. Each output handles up to 5 A for capacitive and inductive loads or 10 A resistive, with a 16 A total across the unit on the LN type. It has eight physical switch buttons and eight status indicators alongside the LoRaWAN control, so local override remains available.
Are these battery powered?
No, all four are mains powered and run as LoRaWAN Class C devices. Class C means the receiver stays open between transmissions, so a downlink command to switch a circuit acts almost immediately rather than waiting for the device's next scheduled uplink. That responsiveness is the reason these are mains devices rather than battery ones.