Brother HL-L3240CDW: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Brother HL-L3240CDW right for you?

The HL-L3240CDW is the 2023 replacement for the HL-L3230CDW, a little quicker at 27 ppm and built around the TN-229 cartridge family. It keeps Ethernet, Wi-Fi and automatic duplex, making it the sensible pick for a small office that needs occasional color without an inkjet's maintenance. Firmware checks TN-229XL chips carefully, so clone toner has been a common source of 'No Toner' complaints. Otherwise it is a quiet, reliable LED engine.

Best for: Small offices replacing an older color LED printer

Setting up the Brother HL-L3240CDW

Plug in Ethernet or use Brother Mobile Connect to join a 2.4 GHz network. Windows users should install the Full Driver & Software Package to access color calibration and duplex defaults; macOS and ChromeOS print driverless. Set an admin password in the web interface if it will live on a shared network.

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 HL-L3240CDW uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• TN-229XL BK high-yield toner (3,000 pages)
• TN-229XL C/M/Y high-yield toner (2,300 pages each)
• DR-229CL drum unit
• BU-229CL belt unit
• WT-229CL waste toner box

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