HP LaserJet series — shown for reference; your model may look different. Luke Launderville · CC BY-SA 3.0
HP LaserJet 4250: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems
The LaserJet 4250 is a mid-2000s departmental laser rated for two hundred thousand pages a month, which is why refurbished units remain popular with schools, law firms and anyone who prints stacks of documents. The 42X cartridge yields around twenty thousand pages, making the cost per page among the lowest of any printer still in circulation. Maintenance kits covering the fuser and rollers are the main ongoing cost.
Sold in United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Europe, Australia. Sold as HP LaserJet 4250n / 4250tn / 4250dtn / 4350 (faster sibling) in United States.
Is the HP LaserJet 4250 right for you?
The LaserJet 4250 is a mid-2000s departmental laser rated for two hundred thousand pages a month, which is why refurbished units remain popular with schools, law firms and anyone who prints stacks of documents. The 42X cartridge yields around twenty thousand pages, making the cost per page among the lowest of any printer still in circulation. Maintenance kits covering the fuser and rollers are the main ongoing cost.
Best for: High-volume mono printing on a refurbished office workhorse
Setting up the HP LaserJet 4250
Add it over Ethernet with the HP Universal Print Driver on Windows or the generic PostScript driver on macOS; set a static IP from the control panel's Configure Device menu. Use the embedded web server to check page counts and the maintenance-kit status. Persistent 13 errors after clearing the jam usually mean worn rollers rather than a stuck sheet.
- 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.
- 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.
- Install the setup app. Use HP'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.
- Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
- 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 HP LaserJet 4250 uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.
- HP 42A (Q5942A) toner
- HP 42X (Q5942X) high-yield toner
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
| Print Speed | 45 ppm |
|---|---|
| Resolution | 1200 x 1200 dpi |
| Duplex | Automatic on dtn models, optional on others |
| Adf | None |
| Paper Capacity | 100-sheet multipurpose tray plus 500-sheet tray (expandable) |
| Display | 4-line LCD |
| Connectivity | Ethernet, USB, Parallel |
| Mobile | |
| Os | Windows 11/10, macOS, Linux |
| Dimensions | 16.4 x 16.3 x 14.5 in |
| Weight | 44 lb |
| Monthly Duty | Up to 200,000 pages |
| Extra | Departmental laser with PCL 6 and PostScript 3; embedded web server for management |
| Functions |
Official drivers and apps
Every link goes to the manufacturer or an official app store. We never host modified installers.
- HP Universal Print Driver (UPD)
One Windows driver that drives most HP printers in a fleet Windows - Windows printer settings
How Windows installs printers, and the shift to driverless Windows Ready Print Windows - macOS Printers and Scanners
Where macOS adds printers, scans documents and resets the printing system macOS
Problems owners report with this printer
| Code or message | What it means |
|---|---|
| 13.xx.yy | Paper jam in the indicated location |
| 49.xxxx | Firmware fault, power cycle and update firmware |
| 50.x | Fuser error |
- Printer Offline? 9 Fixes That Actually Work (Windows 11, Mac, HP, Canon, Epson, Brother)
- Printer Paper Jam: How to Clear It Safely (Including "Paper Jam But No Paper")
- Printer Printing Lines or Streaks? How to Diagnose Banding, Streaks and Smudges
- Can't Add a Printer in Windows 11? How to Add It Manually When the Wizard Fails
- Printer Making a Grinding or Clunking Noise: What to Check Before It Breaks
HP error codes
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