B1160w official drivers
Open the exact B1160w page and choose the actual OS. Its list also contains plain B1160 packages: check the full package name before downloading.
The w model has wireless, not Ethernet
Dell identifies B1160w as a monochrome laser printer. The exact manual’s model table gives Hi-Speed USB 2.0, 802.11b/g/n wireless LAN, WPS and manual two-sided printing. Its rear diagram shows USB and power sockets, with no Ethernet socket. This is a print-only device; copying, document scanning, fax and automatic duplex are not added by shared software names.
Plain B1160 has USB and an Info button; B1160w has the WPS button used below. Use the actual device label and panel. The wireless troubleshooting text excludes Bluetooth. Wi-Fi Direct is a separate documented peer connection, not Internet access or proof of modern AirPrint support.
Read the legacy package scope before installing
Checked 13 October 2026 with Windows 10, 64-bit selected: B1160w Driver Only A03 (37.9 MB) and Software Suite and Driver A04 (79.2 MB) are dated 4 September 2015. Both detail panels list Windows 10, 32-bit and 64-bit. The suite description instead names older Windows releases and omits Windows 10; use the package’s supported-OS panel and instructions. The suite says its drivers need not be installed separately.
The observed OS menu does not list Windows 11. It includes historical Apple Mac OS and Red Hat entries, but those labels do not establish current macOS, Apple Silicon, Linux distribution or Windows ARM compatibility. The manual’s Mac OS X 10.4–10.7 table is historical. No current-OS installation guarantee is made. XPS, management utilities and firmware are separate components; a 2018 firmware row is not a printer-driver replacement.
Identify B1160w, OS/CPU and USB or router connection, preserve the working queue, and follow the selected package prompts. For a failed host job compare the panel report, intended queue/port and one small document first. Installer execution, licence acceptance, firmware changes and physical printing were not performed during this check.
Separate the panel report from the Windows test page
- Load suitable paper, close the cover and clear the actual LED fault.
- In ready mode, hold B1160w WPS for about 10 seconds until the green LED blinks slowly, then release to print the configuration sheet.
- Compare that device report with one small PC print. If the report works but the PC job fails, inspect connection, queue and this B1160w driver. If the report fails too, start with power, paper, cover and toner.
The network chapter says WPS for more than 10 seconds prints the network report; the panel table gives about 10 seconds with slow-green release. Follow the observed release indication. Holding about 15 seconds until green stays on instead prints supplies/error information. Do not confuse these holds with the shorter wireless pairing/disconnect actions.
The manual’s Windows software test is Print → select B1160w → Properties/Preferences → Dell tab → Test page. It depends on host software and differs from the standalone panel report. Network reports show real IP/MAC and may include a WPS PIN; keep them private and do not copy the manual’s sample address.
Twelve LED checks
| Lamp condition | Meaning / first check | Help |
|---|---|---|
| Status off | Offline or power-save state; compare power and the separate blue Power LED. | Details |
| Status green, blinking | Slow = receiving data; fast = printing. Read which lamp is blinking. | Details |
| Status green, steady | Online and ready. | Details |
| Status red, blinking | Waiting for WPS to be pressed for manual feeding; compare paper source. | Details |
| Status red, steady | Open cover, empty paper during a job or major error; inspect the actual condition. | Details |
| Status orange, blinking | Firmware update in progress; do not interrupt it as an ordinary queue fix. | Details |
| Status orange, steady | Paper jam: use the matching illustrated path. | Details |
| Toner orange, blinking | Low estimated toner: prepare a cartridge; redistribution may temporarily help. | Details |
| Toner orange, steady / off | Steady = near estimated life, replacement recommended; off = normal capacity. | Details |
| WPS blue, blinking | Connecting to the wireless network. | Details |
| WPS blue, steady / off | Steady = connected; off = disconnected. It does not prove the PC queue is correct. | Details |
| Power blue, steady / off | Steady = power save; off = ready or powered off. This is not the WPS lamp. | Details |
Five documented setup messages
| Setup message | Documented check | Help |
|---|---|---|
| Printers Not Found | During setup, check power and the required USB setup cable; confirm the actual w model. | Connection |
| Connecting Failure - SSID Not Found | Check the chosen router network name and router power. | Connection |
| Connecting Failure - Invalid Security | Compare printer and router security settings; do not remove security as a shortcut. | Connection |
| Connecting Failure - General Connection Error | Check the USB setup path and printer power. | Connection |
| PC Connection Error | Compare the real report IP with the PC port address, especially after DHCP changes. | Connection |
Nine causes and matching help
| Cause | First check | Matching help |
|---|---|---|
| Panel report also fails | Read LEDs, power, cover, paper and toner before changing the PC driver. | Panel report |
| Wrong model or unsupported OS package | Match B1160w and supported OS; avoid the plain B1160 rows in the same list. | B1160w drivers |
| USB cable or wrong queue | Use the pictured rear USB port and a working data cable; inspect the intended queue. | USB and queue |
| Wi-Fi connected, PC print fails | Compare actual report IP and queue port; a blue WPS lamp alone is insufficient. | Wi-Fi and IP |
| Short WPS hold used for a report | Ready/report, pairing and connected/disconnect sequences differ. | Report sequence |
| Red blink after manual-source selection | Load one suitable sheet and use the documented WPS manual-feed action. | Paper source |
| Empty tray, bent guide or jam | Match physical paper and driver size/type/source; close the cover after recovery. | Paper and jam |
| Faded or streaked output | Compare toner estimate, supported paper, resolution and Toner Save; clean as documented. | Toner and cleaning |
| Firmware indication or persistent major fault | Record the real lamp pattern and Dell Printer Status message; seek support. | Fault details |
Power-save is not a wireless diagnosis
Power/Cancel wakes power-save and stops an operation. Compare the separate Status, Toner, WPS and Power lamps before assigning a fault. As common host checks, inspect the intended queue’s paused state and failed job; preserve unrelated jobs and queues.
USB data and the intended queue
Use the rear USB socket shown on manual page 15 and a sound data cable. The printing-problem table asks users to check the actual cable, queue port and printing preferences. A successful device report helps separate host issues; it does not establish that an old package runs on a new CPU/OS.
Compare router, report and queue
The model uses 802.11b/g/n; the manual glossary identifies its 2.4 GHz band. Read the router’s compatible settings rather than assuming a 5 GHz-only network will work. Compare actual SSID/security, printer IP and the queue port after an address change. The manual’s wired-network paragraphs and “Connected Wired Network” message are shared wording: they do not add an Ethernet socket to this model.
For PBC setup from the disconnected/ready state, the guide holds WPS about 2–4 seconds until Status flashes quickly, then presses the router’s WPS within the two-minute window. When already connected, WPS held over two seconds disconnects the network; do not use that hold as a test print. Cancel during pairing uses Power/Cancel and the guide asks for two minutes before reconnecting. Avoid changing router security or resetting working settings just to diagnose a job.
Wi-Fi Direct configuration is documented through Dell Printer Manager advanced mode → Device Settings → Network, or the embedded service’s Wireless → Wi-Fi Direct section. It requires a compatible mobile printing application; Direct cannot provide Internet access. Match the existing connection and keep its key private. Current mobile-app availability and AirPrint compatibility were not verified here.
Source, cover and jam path
Load printing face up, fan the stack and bring the width guide to the edge without bending paper. Match Paper tab size/type and Auto Select versus Manual Feeder. In manual source, feed one sheet and press WPS when indicated. Both models list manual duplex; follow the application/driver prompt instead of expecting an automatic duplex unit.
For an empty tray, load paper then open and close the top cover to resume. For a jam, first identify the tray or inside path in pages 50–52; pull slowly and gently, close the output support before opening the top cover and avoid the hot fuser. If the first path has no visible paper, follow the next illustrated step rather than forcing an unseen sheet. Persistent or inaccessible jams require service.
Toner and cleaning
Low toner can cause white streaks or uneven density. Page 39 shows gentle side-to-side redistribution, about 5–6 times, as temporary help; it does not refill toner. Use the handle and avoid the green cartridge surface. Estimated life varies with jobs/media; page 40 states printing stops at cartridge end of life.
Compare paper quality, resolution and Toner Save before replacing parts. For cleaning, switch off and unplug; the internal diagram uses a dry lint-free cloth and avoids the marked sensitive surface. The outside uses a soft cloth slightly dampened with water without drips. Do not vacuum toner or pour liquid inside. Toner on clothing uses cold water after wiping; hot water sets it.
Record the actual fault
This guide uses LED conditions and the five software messages above, not invented numeric printer codes or flash counts. A persistent major error needs the exact device label, lamp pattern, report result and actual Dell Printer Status message for support. Do not reset counters, downgrade firmware or interrupt an orange-blinking firmware operation to hide a fault.
Official model evidence
Exact-model official manual listing checked 13 October 2026: newer listed User’s Guide updated 25 November 2014; 165-page English B1160/B1160w PDF. Printed page numbers equal PDF pages. Twenty-eight relevant pages were rendered and visually reviewed, including model table 6, panel 16, reports 77, LEDs 53–54 and network messages 102–104.