Lexmark MS431dw: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Lexmark MS431dw right for you?

The MS431dw is the Wi-Fi equipped successor to the MS421 generation and brings a colour display plus Wi-Fi Direct to the 42 ppm class. It moved to the 55B cartridge family, so anyone replacing an older MS4xx needs new toner stock. Its 40,000-page imaging unit is shorter-lived than the 60,000-page unit in the MS421, which is worth remembering when costing the device.

Best for: Small offices that need a fast mono printer on Wi-Fi

Setting up the Lexmark MS431dw

For wireless setup, run the Wireless Setup Wizard from the Network/Ports menu or push the WPS button on the router, then confirm the address on the printed network page. Wi-Fi Direct can be enabled from the same menu for phones and laptops without a shared network. Install the Lexmark Universal Print Driver or let Windows 11 pick it up via Mopria/IPP; the Embedded Web Server at the printer IP handles firmware updates.

1. Unbox and prepare. Remove every piece of shipping tape and packing material, install the toner cartridge and drum unit, and load paper in the tray.
2. Join your Wi-Fi. Keep the printer close to the router for setup. Most printers only connect to the 2.4GHz band, so if your router broadcasts one merged network name you may need to split the bands temporarily. See our Wi-Fi guide if it will not join.
3. Install the setup app. Use Lexmark's official app rather than a driver you found on a search result — third-party driver sites are the most common source of printer malware.
4. Add the printer. On Windows 11: Settings › Bluetooth & devices › Printers & scanners › Add device. On macOS: System Settings › Printers & Scanners › Add Printer.
5. Print a test page and run a scan if this is an all-in-one, so you find any problem now rather than when you are in a hurry.

Ink, toner and supplies

The Lexmark MS431dw uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• 55B1000 Return Program toner (3,000 pages)
• 55B1H00 high-yield toner (15,000 pages)
• 55B1X00 extra high-yield toner (20,000 pages)
• 55B0ZA0 imaging unit (40,000 pages)

High-yield (XL) versions almost always cost less per page if you print regularly. On third-party ink and toner, read our honest assessment first, and note that some manufacturers push firmware that rejects non-original chips.

Full specifications