Explain Airport Express to me

[Jedi5]

Hello everyone.
New to the Mac world and I need help understanding just what exactly an airport express really is. It seems like the more I read and try to understand it, the more confused I get. From pretty much every site I read, this AE got rave reviews. Only thing is, I'm not sure what it is... I think. So I thought I would just come out and ask.

My understanding is that the AE is like a router/bridge. If you want to extend your WiFi range, you can use the AE to do.
So let's say I have my router (Linksys) located in my basement.
My connection to the 2nd floor is weak. I would buy this AE, connect it on the main floor and it would boost the signal to the upstairs where my MBP is?
Did I understand that correctly or am I way off base here?

Also, If I wanted, I could use the AE to listen to my iTunes music on the TV.
Is this correct as well? I'm guessing I would have to buy some adapter of some sort. Now could I listen to iTunes on any TV in house or only the TV which is connected to the AE?

Printing... in order to use AE for printing, the printer has to be connected to the AE. Did I understand that correctly? So it seems like you would have to buy an AE just for the printer alone and then another one to bridge the signal to the upstairs. Wouldn't it be easier to just add a printer from the MBP from the print button?

Sorry for the questions. Like I said, I'm new to Mac and all this so I'm learning here as I go along.

On a side note, I have to say how much I really love my MBP.
I didn't think I would because I thought I was a PC guy.
Boy, I couldn't have been more wrong.
Loving Mac and looking forward to replacing my PC with an iMac.

Thanks again everyone.

 

[rgarjr]

Sounds like you're really green on the Mac side, which is cool cuz I'm also fairly new to it as well.

Yeah the AE is a small wireless router that you can use it in many ways. As a primary wireless router, you can extend the signal of your main router, use it only for Airtunes to play your tunes on your stereo, and also connect a printer to it and use it for that.

The majority of people usually have a Time Capsule or Airport Extreme as their main router and use the AE to extend their signal out more, or some just have it for airtunes.

 

[Jedi5]

Saying green to mac is an understatement!

thanks for the help.
I"m going to pretend that I know what airport extreme and time capsule are, lol.

Actually, looking at some pics, Airport Extreme looks a router.
Would that be Apple's version of a router?

So could I buy an Extreme to use as my router for my PC and MBP and then buy an airport express for music?
Is that this works?

 

[Macky-Mac]

....Also, If I wanted, I could use the AE to listen to my iTunes music on the TV.
Is this correct as well? I'm guessing I would have to buy some adapter of some sort. Now could I listen to iTunes on any TV in house or only the TV which is connected to the AE?
.....

you'll need a connection from the AE to your tv or sound system....a cable would be the most likely thing, type of cable would depend on your tv or sound system.....and yes, you would need a connection for each tv/sound system so this may limit what you can do, unless you have wireless speakers of course

....Printing... in order to use AE for printing, the printer has to be connected to the AE. Did I understand that correctly? So it seems like you would have to buy an AE just for the printer alone and then another one to bridge the signal to the upstairs. Wouldn't it be easier to just add a printer from the MBP from the print button?
.....

Depends on where you put your printer, your router, the AE and so forth. Why put the router in the basement if you want to use all these devices elsewhere? If you have the printer attached to your router, then the AE upstairs would be extending the the range of your wifi signal in the house, providing music thru your sound system and picking up the signal from your MBP to relay back to the printer which is connected to your main router in the basement

So could I buy an Extreme to use as my router for my PC and MBP and then buy an airport express for music?
Is that this works

yes