Brother DCP-J4120DW: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Brother DCP-J4120DW right for you?

The DCP-J4120DW is a 2014 UK compact inkjet that can print A3 sheets through a rear slot despite its small landscape body, without fax or ADF. It was popular with students and hobbyists who occasionally needed a poster or plan. LC223 and LC227XL cartridges are still sold and cheaply cloned. A decade on, ink absorber and printhead wear are what retire these.

Best for: Owners of an older compact A3-capable inkjet

Setting up the Brother DCP-J4120DW

Download the Full Driver & Software Package manually for Windows 11 scanning support. Join 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi via the touchscreen wizard. Feed A3 paper one sheet at a time into the rear manual slot and select A3 in the driver.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the ink cartridges, and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use Brother's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The Brother DCP-J4120DW uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• LC223BK/C/M/Y ink (550 pages)
• LC225XL C/M/Y high-yield color (1,200 pages)
• LC227XL BK high-yield black (1,200 pages)

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications