File management, routers, and networking...

I've been a mac user for over 10 years, and feel like I know quite a bit about them. But until recently (I just got married), I've never owned more than one mac at a time, and now I am in uncharted territory.

A few questions:

1) What is the best way to do file management between our iMac and MacBook Pro? For example: Trying to find a photo - did we load that one onto the iMac or the laptop? Or iTunes - "Dang it - I bought that song on the laptop, but I'm on the iMac."

2) In reference to the above question, if we decided to have the iMac be the "master" computer that gets all the photos and songs purchased on it, what is the best way to transfer them to the laptop? (CDR's, thumb drives, or emailing every time I want to transfer a file could get annoying - is there a better way?)

3) I need to buy a wireless router, and I see that the Airport Extreme has a USB port for an external hard drive. Would I want that so that I can transfer files between the two computers, or can I set that up without needing an extra hard drive and the Airport Extreme? (i.e., using "sharing", which I've never done).

I realize this is a lot of info here, but they are all related questions so I didn't want to split them up into separate threads. An advice would be appreciated.

There are a myriad of ways to do what you want - here is my suggestion

1a) Files/photos - I would put these on an external hard drive - that is backed up (raided if you have the money) and network connected. That you only need 1 computer on to access the files.
1b) iTunes has home sharing - and a sync mechanism to sync computers. It doesn't seem that robust or good - so I tend to manage my itunes music on one comptuer and just point to that library to listen to it at home (with other itunes installs or using airport express and remote on my ipod touch)

2)Enable file sharing - as long as you aren't trying to watch DVDs or HD across wireless - you should be able to view files on the other computer seamlessly.
Mac 101: File sharing

3) You can put files onto the external hard drive as referenced in 1a - but you need to buy a usb hard drive to put back there. Another choice is to get a time capsule - which you can use as a hard drive and a place to backup to with time machine. Compare prices - but with just a quick search I found a 1tb hard drive for $80 - plus the $180 for the AEBS - you have $260. You can find time capsules for 267 - apple sells it directly for $300 but even amazon has it for $278.

I actually have a time capsule where I keep my itunes music library and my backups for all my macs. I have a PC that serves the music to my ipods/iphones. All my PCs and Macs have file sharing enabled so I can move files around, as well as just view files.

If you end up being both on line at the same time - then Using iChat and Bonjour can be a handy way of sending links/files to other computer. eg you get onto interesting site - copy URL - paste into Chat IM hit return and other computer has link, does one click and it is open in other browser.