Your needs, this model
Does it fit your priorities?
Can this earlier USB printer provide 300 sheets of A4 input and print suitable envelopes separately?
Qualifies with the included cassette plus MP tray on the stated paper basis. The Letter one-sided rating is 30 ppm; envelopes use their documented MP routine rather than being counted as 300-sheet stock.
Explore this need in the finder →Can the standard 5240 plug directly into Ethernet with no add-on server?
Fails: USB andparallel are included. The NC-2100p external network server is optional; the 5250DN network interface cannot be borrowed.
Explore this need in the finder →Can I require automatic two-sided Letter output?
Fails: the exact 5240 automatic-duplex entry is N/A. Its manual duplex process requires the user to reinstall pages.
Explore this need in the finder →A local printer with useful paper flexibility
The Brother HL-5240 fits a deliberately compatible desktop that needs monochrome laser printing and a real multipurpose input tray. Its 250-sheet cassette and 50-sheet MP tray provide more flexibility than a cassette accompanied by a one-sheet slot. The deciding limits are the standard connection and duplex routine: USB andparallel are included, but Ethernet needs an optional external server, and two-sided output requires manual paper handling.
Brother marks the exact model discontinued. Treat its specifications as an earlier equipment reference rather than a claim of current availability, condition or software support for every new computer. It is a print-only device with no scanner, copier or fax function. The shared guide’s network and automatic-duplex features belong to named other models rather than to every printer covered by the book.
Count the included trays correctly
The cassette holds 250 sheets and the MP tray 50 sheets on the specified 80g/m² paper basis. Both routes cover Letter, Legal and A4 dimensions, giving 300 sheets of included ordinary-page input. The web table calls that basis 20 lb, while the original manual prints 21 lb next to 80g/m². Keep the actual stated paper basis in mind rather than implying that the same sheet count applies to every media weight.
The MP path handles suitable envelopes, labels and selected heavier media with the appropriate paper setting. It can be useful when an office alternates regular documents with occasional special jobs. Optional LT-5300 lower trays are separate purchases and should not be counted as included capacity. Loading two different stocks also requires selecting the correct source and media settings for each job.
Manual duplex means returning to the printer
The exact 5240 column explicitly lists automatic duplex as unavailable. Its driver can still offer Manual Duplex: the printer first outputs even-numbered pages, and the user puts those pages back in the required order and orientation before odd-numbered pages print. The manual explains different handling for the cassette and MP tray. This process does not satisfy a requirement for unattended automatic two-sided printing.
The one-sided print rating is up to 30 Letter ppm or 28 A4 ppm from the specified paper paths. The guide warns that the highest 1200 dpi setting can reduce speed. Those are manufacturer conditions, not measured results for this review. A driver’s duplex option or a high-resolution quality setting should not be combined with the simplest headline to imply a different throughput.
USB is the supported local arrangement here
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and IEEE 1284 parallel are standard. The NC-2100p external 10/100 Ethernet server is an option, not a network socket supplied in the printer. The 5250DN has separately documented included Ethernet and automatic duplex. If an office needs either of those functions as standard, it should compare that exact configuration rather than rely on the family manual’s broader feature list.
The original USB support also has operating-system limits: Windows 95 and NT 4 are excluded for USB even though they appear elsewhere among driver or parallel arrangements. Confirm the actual connection and compatible driver for the computer in use. The native, PCL and BR-Script descriptions should be read with their feature qualifications; the manual specifically excludes manual duplex in the BR-Script driver.
Supplies and a practical earlier-model boundary
The original guide declares approximately 3500 standard-toner pages and 7000 high-yield pages at 5% coverage on Letter or A4. Its drum declaration is approximately 25000 pages at one page per job. These older coverage-based toner figures are not ISO yield claims or remaining life for an individual machine. No numeric recommended monthly volume is established in the read exact sources, so print speed is not used to invent one.
The USA/Canada edition specifies 110–120 V AC. The original model table gives a 14.6 × 15.1 × 9.7 in. body and 20.9 lb weight including drum and toner; the 18.3 lb figure excludes them. Allow open-tray and service access beyond the closed body. Choose the 5240 for a compatible local printing routine with manual handling. If automatic duplex, shared built-in networking or document scanning is essential, choose an exact model establishing that function.
Key details at a glance
| Color printing | No |
|---|---|
| Scanner | No |
| Copying | No |
| Fax | No |
| Flatbed scanner | No |
| Automatic document feeder | No |
| Automatic two-sided printing | No |
| Automatic two-sided scanning | No |
| Single-pass two-sided scanning | No |
| Color scanning | No |
| Instructed envelope handling | Yes |
| Included ordinary-paper capacity | 300 sheets |
| Declared one-sided mono Letter rate | 30 pages/min |
| Unit-body width | 14.6 in |
| Unit-body depth | 15.1 in |
| Unit-body height | 9.7 in |
| Unit weight | 20.9 lb |
| Imaging engine | laser |
Use the exact model’s instructions for operating limits, supplied equipment and version differences.
Paper, software and setup details
Print-rate conditions
Up to 30 one-sided Letter ppm and 28 A4 ppm from the stated normal paper paths. Higher 1200 dpi settings may reduce speed. No automatic-duplex rating applies to the 5240.
Paper handling
The included 250-sheet cassette and 50-sheet MP tray total 300 sheets for Letter, Legal or A4 on the stated 80 g/m² basis. Web support labels this 20 lb; the original table prints 21 lb alongside 80 g/m². Optional LT-5300 trays are excluded.
Computer and mobile connections
Hi-Speed USB 2.0 and IEEE 1284 parallel are included. The NC-2100p external 10/100 network server is optional. The 5250DN included Ethernet and automatic-duplex column does not apply to the 5240.
Supplies and declared yields
The original guide declares approximately 3500 standard-toner pages and 7000 high-yield pages at 5% Letter/A4 coverage, plus approximately 25000 drum pages at one page per job. These are older coverage-based toner declarations, not ISO yields.
Electrical edition and setup
The USA/Canada edition uses 110–120 V AC, 50/60 Hz. The actual page 103 columns give a 14.6 × 15.1 × 9.7 in. body and 20.9 lb with drum and toner for the 5240. The 18.3 lb figure excludes them; the 5250DN loaded weight is a different value.
Sources for this assessment
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