C5100N

A networked color laser printer for small offices, the Okidata C5100N shares its engine with the C5100 and is built for everyday business color printing. It takes OKI's Type C6 toner family: the 42804504 black cartridge and the 42804501, 42804502 and 42804503 color cartridges at 3,000 pages each. For heavier workloads there are high-capacity versions of the three colors, carrying full numbers of their own — 42127401 for yellow, 42127402 for magenta and 42127403 for cyan.

The N changes how the printer is looked after more than how it prints. A C5100N on the network reports its own supply levels through a web page, so the state of four cartridges and the drums can be checked from a desk across the room — or across the building — instead of by walking over and opening panels. For a small office without dedicated IT, that visibility is the difference between ordering a cartridge when the status page says it is low and discovering an empty color in the middle of a client proposal.

Toner Cartridges for C5100N

Cartridge	Color	Page Yield
42127401	Yellow (high capacity)	See product page
42127402	Magenta (high capacity)	See product page
42127403	Cyan (high capacity)	See product page
42127401	Yellow (high yield)	See product page
42127402	Magenta (high yield)	See product page
42127403	Cyan (high yield)	See product page
42127401, 42127402 and 42127403 — 3 Color Set	Yellow, magenta and cyan	See product page
42127401, 42127402 and 42127403 — 6 Color Set	Yellow, magenta and cyan	See product page

Which cartridge should you buy?

With two tiers on the shelf, match the tier to the color's real workload. The standard Type C6 colors are rated at 3,000 pages each and suit offices where color is occasional. The high-capacity 42127401, 42127402 and 42127403 cartridges are the sensible buy for the colors your office actually burns — presentation-heavy teams usually find one or two colors draining well ahead of the others, and only those need the bigger fill. The 3 and 6-color sets fit a planned refresh, when several colors are low together and one order should close the subject. Black, the 42804504, runs on text volume alone and is judged separately.

Chip, toner and everyday use

Use the network before you use your legs: the printer's web status page shows the remaining life of every cartridge, plus drum life and any error messages, so supplies can be checked and ordered without a trip to the machine. When black pages start showing a faint background haze, suspect the black cartridge nearing the end of its life first; if the haze survives a fresh cartridge, the drum is the next suspect. Cartridges report their own levels through their chips, and ratings are set at 5% coverage — color-dense pages will always outrun the estimate. Replace colors one at a time, as each reports low.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which toner fits the OKI C5100N?

Yellow 42804501, magenta 42804502, cyan 42804503 and black 42804504 in the standard Type C6 fills, or the high-capacity colors 42127401 yellow, 42127402 magenta and 42127403 cyan. The N version adds networking to the base C5100 while keeping the same cartridge family.

How do I check toner levels on the C5100N without walking to it?

Open the printer's web page by typing its IP address into a browser. The status page shows remaining life for each cartridge in the 42804501 series and the high-capacity colors, plus drum life and any error messages.

The C5100N prints black pages with a faint background haze. What causes it?

Background haze usually means the black 42804504 cartridge is near the end of its life, or the drum is worn. Replace the toner first; if the haze remains with a fresh cartridge installed, the drum is the next thing to look at.