How to connect a Xerox Phaser 3020 printer to a phone via Wi-Fi: a complete guide with all the details

Connecting a printer Xerox Phaser 3020 Connecting your smartphone via Wi-Fi opens the possibility of printing documents and photos wirelessly—directly from your phone's screen. However, many users encounter difficulties: the printer isn't visible on the network, the phone can't find the device, or printing is interrupted by errors. In this article, we'll look at all connection methods (via a router, in Direct Wi-Fi mode and using cloud services), and we will also solve common problems.

Model Phaser 3020 supports wireless printing, but setting it up requires attention to detail—from choosing the right Wi-Fi mode to installing drivers on your phone. We'll walk you through every step, including hidden printer settings, which are often missed in standard instructions. If you previously tried to connect and received an error like 0x803c010b or Wi-Fi Direct is not supported, here you will find solutions.

1. Preparing the Xerox Phaser 3020 printer for Wi-Fi connection

Before setting up a connection, make sure your printer is ready for wireless operation. To do this:

• 🔌 Plug the printer into the power supply and wait until it is fully loaded (the indicator Ready should be green).
• 📄 Check that there is paper in the tray; without it, the printer may block access to Wi-Fi settings.
• 🔄 Update your printer's firmware (if available). Outdated firmware versions often cause connection issues with modern smartphones.

Important: Xerox Phaser 3020 supports two Wi-Fi modes:

1. Infrastructure mode (via a router) - the printer connects to your home network, like a laptop or phone.
2. Wi-Fi Direct — the printer creates its own network, to which the phone connects directly (without a router).

The choice of mode depends on your needs. For continuous printing from multiple devices, it's better to use a router. For occasional printing on the go or without network access, Wi-Fi Direct.

2. Connecting via a router: step-by-step instructions

This method allows you to print from your phone to a printer connected to your home network. Follow these instructions:

1. Activate Wi-Fi on the printer:

   Click the button Menu on the printer control panel → select Network Setup → Wireless → Wi-Fi Protected Setup → Push Button (WPS).

   Within 2 minutes, press the WPS button on your router. If your router does not support WPS, select Manual Setup and enter the network SSID and password.

2. Check your connection:

   Print it out Network Configuration Page (on the menu Reports → Network Config). In the section Wireless The printer's IP address should be displayed (e.g. 192.168.1.105).

If the printer does not connect:

• ⚡ Make sure your router is in wireless mode 802.11b/g/n (the printer does not support 802.11ac).
• 🔒 Check that the MAC address filter is disabled in your router settings.
• 📡 Move the printer closer to the router - a weak signal can interrupt the connection.

3. Setting up Wi-Fi Direct for a direct connection

Mode Wi-Fi Direct Allows you to connect your phone directly to the printer without the need for a router. This is convenient for printing on the go or in an office without internet access. Instructions:

1. On the printer:

   Press and hold the button Wi-Fi Direct (or go to Menu → Network Setup → Wi-Fi Direct → On).

   Example of network name: DIRECT-XX-Phaser3020_123456The default password is 12345678 (indicated on the sticker on the back of the printer).

2. On the phone:

   Open Wi-Fi settings → find the printer network → connect by entering the password.

   Once connected, launch your printing application (eg. Xerox Print Service Plugin for Android or standard AirPrint for iPhone).

Important: In Wi-Fi Direct mode, the printer does not have internet access. This means features like cloud printing (Google Cloud Print) will not work.

What should I do if my phone can't see the Wi-Fi Direct network?

Check that Wi-Fi Direct is enabled on the printer (the indicator light should be blinking). On some phones (especially Xiaomi phones), you may need to manually refresh the network list by pulling down the Wi-Fi list. If the network still doesn't appear, try restarting the printer.

4. Installing drivers and applications for printing from a phone

In order for the phone to be able to send print jobs, you need to install special software. Xerox Phaser 3020 The following solutions will work:

For Android:

1. Install Xerox Print Service Plugin from Google Play.
2. Open the file to print → select Seal → will appear in the list of printers Phaser 3020.
3. If the printer is not displayed, go to Settings → Connected devices → Printing and add it manually by IP address.

For iPhone:

• 📱 Make sure your printer and phone are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.
• 🖨️ Open the document → click Share → Seal → select Phaser 3020.
• ⚠️ If your printer isn't visible, check if your iOS model supports it. AirPrint (list on Apple's website).

5. Common mistakes and their solutions

When connecting Xerox Phaser 3020 Users encounter several common issues with their phones. Let's take a closer look at them:

⚠️ Attention: If the printer was previously connected to a different Wi-Fi network, its settings may conflict. In this case, reset the network: Menu → Network Setup → Reset Network.

Additional recommendations:

• 🔄 If the printer is connected to the router but your phone doesn't see it, try manually adding the printer by IP address in the print settings.
• 📶 If your Wi-Fi signal is weak, use a network repeater or move the printer closer to the router.
• 🔒 If your network is secured with WPA3, switch your router to WPA2-PSK — Phaser 3020 does not support new encryption standards.

6. Alternative ways to print from your phone

If Wi-Fi connection fails, consider alternative methods:

• 🔌 USB OTG: Connect the printer to your phone via cable USB-A → Micro-USB/USB-C (requires phone to support OTG).
• ☁️ Cloud Printing: Upload the document to Google Drive, open it via Xerox Print Service and send to print.
• 🖥️ Via PC: Set up printer sharing on a computer connected to the same network as your phone.

For USB OTG:

1. Buy an adapter USB-A (female) → USB-C/Micro-USB (female).
2. Connect the printer to the phone with a cable USB-A → USB-B (included with the printer).
3. On your phone, select the file to print → Seal → USB: Phaser 3020.

7. Print optimization: quality and economy settings

Once connected successfully, adjust your print settings for optimal results:

• 🖼️ Print quality: In the printer settings (Menu → Print Quality) select:
  • Draft - draft (saves toner).
  • Normal - standard quality.
  • Best - high resolution (for photos).
• 📄 Double-sided printing: Activate in the menu 2-Sided Printing to save paper.
• 🔲 Scaling: If the document is being cut off, turn it on Fit to Page in the print task settings.

To save toner:

• Use the mode Toner Save Mode (Menu → Economy Mode → On).
• Print in grayscale if color is not important.
• Set the minimum toner density in the driver settings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to connect Xerox Phaser 3020 to a phone without a router?

Yes, using the mode Wi-Fi DirectThe printer creates its own network, which the phone connects to. However, this method doesn't work on iPhones—only on Android.

Why is the printer connected to Wi-Fi, but the phone can't see it?

Possible reasons:

• The printer and the phone are connected to different networks (for example, the phone to 5 GHz, and the printer to 2.4 GHz).
• Client isolation mode is enabled in the router settings (AP Isolation).
• The print driver is not installed on the phone (for example, Xerox Print Service Plugin for Android).

Solution: Check your network, disable client isolation in your router, and install the necessary software.

How do I reset my printer's Wi-Fi settings?

Follow these steps:

1. Click Menu on the printer panel.
2. Go to Network Setup → Reset Network → Yes.
3. Confirm the reset. The printer will reboot and all network settings will be deleted.

After the reset, set up Wi-Fi again.

Does the Xerox Phaser 3020 support iCloud printing?

No, the printer does not have built-in support. iCloudHowever, you can:

• Download a document from iCloud to your phone and print it via AirPrint.
• Use an intermediate PC with shared access to the printer.

How to update printer firmware?

Updating the firmware solves many connection issues. Instructions:

1. Download the latest firmware from Xerox website (Please specify the exact model) Phaser 3020).
2. Unzip the file and copy it to a flash drive (format FAT32).
3. Insert the flash drive into the printer, go to Menu → System Setup → Firmware Update and follow the instructions.

⚠️ Attention: Do not turn off the printer during the update! This may cause damage.