Sharp AR-6020N: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Sharp AR-6020N right for you?

The AR-6020N is a no-frills A3 mono copier with network printing, still found in schools, community centres and small offices across Europe and India. Duplex and the document feeder are options, so many units in the field are flatbed-only. Getting it running on Windows 11 is the main modern challenge, because Sharp's original AR driver packages predate current driver-signing rules.

Best for: Schools and community offices keeping a basic A3 copier running

Setting up the Sharp AR-6020N

Print a configuration list from the panel to find the IP, then add the printer as a Standard TCP/IP port and try Sharp's latest AR-6020 PCL6 driver; if it will not install, a generic PCL6 driver will handle basic printing without tray or duplex control. There is no mobile printing support built in, so phone printing needs a print server or a shared queue on a PC. If copies come out pale across the whole page, the drum rather than the toner is usually at fault on machines this old.

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 Sharp'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 Sharp AR-6020N uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• Sharp AR-021 series black toner
• AR-021 drum unit

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