Dell 3110cn Color Laser Printer: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Dell 3110cn Color Laser Printer right for you?

The 3110cn was Dell's best-selling colour laser of the mid-2000s, a Fuji Xerox-built 31 ppm printer with 8,000-page cartridges that undercut HP badly on running costs. It is heavy and old, but a surprising number are still in service. The imaging drum (PHD unit) and transfer belt are the parts that wear out, and faded or banded colour usually points to one of them rather than the toner.

Best for: Anyone keeping a 2006-era Dell colour laser running for its cheap toner

Setting up the Dell 3110cn Color Laser Printer

Dell still lists the 3110cn PCL and PostScript drivers; the generic Windows 11 PCL6 driver and a generic PostScript PPD on macOS also work. Connect over Ethernet, print a settings report from the menu and add the printer by IP. The embedded web page reports supply and PHD life so you can plan replacements.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the toner cartridge and drum unit, 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 Dell'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 Dell 3110cn Color Laser Printer uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• Dell 310-8395 (PF030) high-yield black toner (8,000 pages)
• Dell 310-8397 cyan / 310-8399 magenta / 310-8401 yellow high-yield toners (8,000 pages each)
• Dell 310-8076 imaging drum / transfer belt

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