Using Airport Express as an extender

[Aspen]

Using an Airport Extreme located in the basement, I am unable to get optimum wireless signal in the upstairs portion of the house. If I add an Airport Express as an extender, would I have to have two separate wireless networks or would the Express be the same network? A single network would be preferable.

If the above works, the goal would be having the Express located upstairs and hard wired to the Extreme downstairs. The Express would be hard wired via USB to a printer and the printer hard wired to an iMac. If I understand that connection correctly, it would allow for wireless printing on a laptop via the Express without having the iMac on. Is that correct?

Thanks.

 

[Peterkro]

Yes it can be used to just extend your existing network.You can still also use it to print wirelessly to a printer plugged into the express.(having said that I have 3 computers that will print to the express printer and one that won't,I assume it's just something in the settings of the one computer I'm just too lazy to sort it)