Samsung ProXpress M3820DW: Setup, Drivers, Ink and Common Problems

Is the Samsung ProXpress M3820DW right for you?

The M3820DW is a 40 ppm mono laser with Wi-Fi, which made it a favourite for small businesses that did not want to run Ethernet cable. It accepts the 15,000-page MLT-D203U cartridge, giving one of the lowest cost-per-page figures in its class. The main complaint is Wi-Fi instability on older firmware; updating from HP's site and using a 2.4 GHz WPA2 network resolves most dropouts.

Best for: Small businesses wanting a fast wireless mono laser with very low toner costs

Setting up the Samsung ProXpress M3820DW

Install the 'ProXpress M3820 Series' driver from support.hp.com; HP Smart can also discover and set it up on Windows and Mac. Use the USB-assisted wireless wizard in the installer or WPS on the printer, then reserve the IP on the router. If the printer shows offline in Windows, disable SNMP status in the port settings, which stops Windows misreading the legacy Samsung status strings.

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 Samsung'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 Samsung ProXpress M3820DW uses the following consumables. Match the number exactly when you buy: the same printer family often uses several different cartridge numbers by region.

• MLT-D203L high-yield toner (5,000 pages)
• MLT-D203E extra-high-yield toner (10,000 pages)
• MLT-D203U ultra-high-yield toner (15,000 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