Your needs, this model
Does it fit your priorities?
Can it share color Legal printing over Ethernet for 3,000 monthly pages with 350 supplied sheets?
Yes, with a compatible driver/network; the assessed package has manual two-sided output.
Explore this need in the finder →Is automatic duplex included on n?
No. That addition belongs to dn/dtn.
Explore this need in the finder →Does the base n package include PIN release for stored jobs?
No. The documented function requires an installed optional disk.
Explore this need in the finder →Network sharing is the n model’s defining addition
The HP Color LaserJet 3800n adds embedded Fast Ethernet to the earlier base color-printing package. Identified as Q5982A, it can serve a compatible wired network while retaining a USB computer connection. It is still a print-only machine with manual two-sided output.
The distinction from the dn is practical: the n includes networking but not an automatic duplexer. The dtn adds a further supplied paper feeder as well. Compare those actual packages instead of assuming every network-ready 3800 has automatic two-sided printing.
Confirm the network and computer route you intend to use
The embedded print server provides the documented Ethernet connection. Gigabit networking and wireless servers appear as optional accessories, so they are not included capabilities of the assessed package. An expansion slot does not identify which accessory, if any, is fitted.
For a present computer or office network, check a suitable driver and compatible print arrangement before depending on the machine. Historical protocol and operating-system lists describe the original environment, not every current combination. Modern mobile printing should not be inferred from the general network label.
The USB computer port supplies another print route. It does not create a scanner, and an accessory host socket serves a different role. Incoming paper still needs separate capture equipment.
Manual duplex can be a recurring workflow cost
The original comparison assigns automatic duplex to dn and dtn, leaving the n with manual two-sided printing. That means refeeding and orientation checks for two-sided documents. Driver settings and correct paper handling matter, but cannot replace an absent duplexer.
If duplex reports are occasional, user handling may be acceptable. If they dominate the routine, an included automatic duplex configuration is the more relevant comparison. Avoid choosing around a generic brochure photograph showing a differently equipped model.
Separate supplied input, extra trays and special media
The n includes a 100-sheet multipurpose tray and 250-sheet main cassette, totaling 350 ordinary sheets. The additional 500-sheet feeder is optional. Verify that any advertised expanded capacity corresponds to hardware actually included with the offered printer.
The original ordinary-size table marks Letter, Legal and A4 in the supplied inputs. Choose the matching size and media type in the print software, then load the selected stock with the appropriate guide settings. A larger general capacity does not apply to every special material.
Envelopes use the multipurpose tray, up to ten, with the specified face-down loading direction. Keep that job separate from ordinary-paper capacity and two-sided handling assumptions. The same caution applies when switching among different paper weights or surface types.
Private PIN printing needs the optional disk
The family’s stored-job instructions explicitly require an installed hard disk. Ethernet, additional standard memory and an administrator password do not satisfy that physical requirement. The standard n package therefore does not qualify for an essential held-print PIN workflow.
If an earlier offer claims private-job retrieval, inspect the actual configuration and supported driver controls. HP’s configuration page can report installed accessories, making it more useful than relying on the broad model family description. Use the two-line panel’s information menu to print that configuration before evaluating an added accessory.
Assess the earlier package as a whole
The recommended recurring volume is 1,500–5,000 printed pages monthly. Maximum duty serves a separate purpose, and declared speed is not an end-to-end office benchmark. Four color supplies, service condition and current software availability all affect ownership.
Check the electrical plate and leave space for loading, cartridges and cables. The 3800n fits compatible wired color printing when manual duplex and the supplied 350-sheet arrangement are sufficient. Choose the dn or dtn only when their actual added hardware addresses a requirement.
Key details at a glance
| Color printing | Yes |
|---|---|
| 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 |
| Supported PIN-release printing | No |
| Recommended monthly minimum | 1500 pages |
| Recommended monthly maximum | 5000 pages |
| Maximum monthly duty | 65000 pages |
| Included ordinary-paper capacity | 350 sheets |
| Declared one-sided mono Letter rate | 22 pages/min |
| Declared one-sided color Letter rate | 22 pages/min |
| Unit-body width | 15.7 in |
| Unit-body depth | 17.7 in |
| Unit-body height | 15.7 in |
| Unit weight | 59.6 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
Original exact 3800 table specifies up to 22 Letter or 21 A4 ppm. Recommended recurring printing is 1,500–5,000 pages, distinct from 65,000 maximum duty. Shared guide also covers slower 3600 models, whose rates are not borrowed.
Paper handling
Included inputs total 350 ordinary sheets: 100 plus 250. The 500-sheet third feeder is optional and excluded. Actual original table marks Letter/Legal/A4 in supplied ordinary inputs. Envelopes use Tray 1 only, up to ten, face down with specified orientation. This configuration has manual two-sided printing; the automatic duplex feature belongs to dn/dtn, not this package.
Scanning arrangement
Print-only configuration without scanner, copying or fax. Host/accessory USB does not establish capture.
Computer and mobile connections
Computer USB and Fast Ethernet supplied; Gigabit, wireless server and parallel adapter optional. AirPrint, Mopria and standard Wi-Fi Direct are unestablished; optional accessories are not counted.
Supplies and declared yields
Four original cartridges Q6470A black, Q7581A cyan, Q7582A yellow and Q7583A magenta; original full-cartridge declaration and approximately 6,000-page yields at stated coverage do not establish remaining supplies or measured output.
Software and support
Compatible computer driver and actual installed options required. Original menu and stored-job instructions explicitly require installed optional hard disk for private PIN jobs; base package has no such disk. Management passwords and network protocols do not establish job-release hardware. Historical OS lists and software availability need checking.
Electrical edition and setup
Original North American Letter configuration, with separate low/high regional voltage editions; actual unit plate unconfirmed, so US mains unknown. Earlier original references do not prove exact model official-discontinuation status or stock. Check condition, driver and surviving accessories.
Sources for this assessment
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