Lexmark E260dn: small-office Ethernet mono duplex with a 250-sheet tray review

A small wired office can share this print-only configuration

The Lexmark E260dn is an earlier monochrome printer for a modest wired office that needs automatic two-sided reports. Its included 10/100 Ethernet port separates it from the locally attached E260d, while USB remains available for one computer. The practical limits are the 250-sheet ordinary-paper stack and a single-sheet manual feed, rather than a larger multipurpose input or built-in wireless.

The exact US reference is part 34S0300, marked discontinued by Lexmark. This identifies the documented hardware package and does not establish current stock, seller condition or present warranty coverage. Before relying on an older machine, check the complete suffix, regional electrical label, included trays, supplies and compatible print software.

Set up the actual network route

Standard ports are USB Type-B, IEEE 1284 parallel and 10/100 Ethernet. The original guide distinguishes a local USB or parallel cable from a network Ethernet cable, and qualifies the Ethernet diagram to network models. The exact E260dn specification confirms that this suffix includes the port. The original US box list excludes the connection cables.

External wireless and faster print servers are accessories, not standard equipment. Do not describe a bare E260dn as a Wi-Fi or gigabit printer. Bonjour, IPP and other historical protocol names also do not establish AirPrint or Mopria. Confirm a compatible computer driver and network setup rather than assuming every current phone or laptop will work from the old software list.

The light panel is part of the operating experience

The original guide identifies six lights and two buttons on the panel. Everyday status and errors therefore use light sequences instead of a text LCD or touchscreen. Software utilities and configuration procedures handle relevant settings. If an office values a readable on-device menu, this distinction is more useful than a generic claim that the printer is simple to operate.

There is no scanner, copier, fax or document feeder in this explicitly print-only model. Automatic duplex turns printing paper; it does not capture both sides of an original. The family brochure's reference to a verify-print function is not sufficient evidence of confidential PIN release, which remains unestablished here.

Two-sided documents and alternate sheets have separate routines

Lexmark declares up to 35 one-sided Letter pages per minute, with a separate automatic-duplex rating of 17 Letter sides per minute. These are manufacturer specifications, not measurements from testing for this article. Letter, Legal and A4 are positively supported in the standard tray and duplex path. For longer A4 or Legal stock, the loading instructions extend the tray backward and position the guides to match.

The standard 250+1 capacity uses a 250-sheet tray and one-sheet manual feed on the maker's 20-pound or 75-gsm basis. The guide permits only one sheet at a time through that manual slot. Envelopes follow the instructed one-sided manual routine, while automatic duplex uses its documented 60–90 gsm paper range. A wide manual-feed media list does not mean every stock is suitable for duplex printing.

Workload, supplies and the comparison that matters

Lexmark recommends 250–2,500 pages monthly. The separate 50,000-page maximum duty ceiling is not a recommended routine target. One optional 250- or 550-sheet drawer may be added; the 800+1 maximum requires the larger accessory. An office mainly troubled by refilling should compare the actual included or expanded input package instead of assuming a higher capacity from a series photograph.

The original supplied Return Program toner is declared at 1,000 ISO/IEC 19752 pages. US replacements E260A11A and regular E260A21A are rated at 3,500, while the separate E260X22G photoconductor has an up-to-30,000-page declaration. Match cartridge region and program conditions, without borrowing the E360's higher-yield toner or inferring current running cost from yield alone.

The body is 15.98 inches wide, 14.55 deep and 10.2 high at 29.77 pounds, before operating access and tray extension. Confirm the actual US low-voltage label and cord. This reference fits modest wired mono duplex work. Compare explicitly wireless hardware for Wi-Fi, a larger stack feeder for repeated alternate media, or a real multifunction model for document capture.