Existing wireless network lacks range - thoughts on solutions?

I have my existing (Airport Express) router in my home office at one end of a long, skinny apartment. My wife uses the home office for work, so I'm not allowed to move it from that location at the far end of the apartment without marital strife.

The signal is inadequate to do anything other than minor downloads in the living room on my laptop, and my brand new iPad barely works in the living room at all (which is where I usually am.) And the Wii doesn't realize there's wi-fi in the apartment at all, yet.

Question: What would be the most effective ways to upgrade the signal in the living room? It's about 40 feet away with two walls inbetween. Is there a router with the top reputation for range I should get? Have people tried a directional antenna successfully for this kind of thing? Cost isn't a big deal, I just want to have a good Internet signal in the rest of my apartment. Any suggestions would be welcome.

 

I'll start with easier and cheaper options and work from there.

Free
Since you can't move the router to another room, how about along a different wall in the same room. Sometimes just moving them a few feet helps. Wireless is effected (heavily) by water and metal, water pipes are horrible for it. Moving it may help you avoid an extra wall or some pipes, or appliance.

Have you checked for updated firmware, sometimes (though rarely) this will have an effect.

Download and run Inssider.
inSSIDer Wi-Fi Scanner | MetaGeek
This lets you see how nearby routers and their channels, so you can pick a channel with less interference. Also helpful when moving your router to see it's effects. Windows tools are not known for their precision.
More on this is here:
http://forum.notebookreview.com/networking-wireless/501667-issue-covering-whole-house-wifi.html

Next you can try changing firmware. If your model supports it, you can download aftermarket firmware such as DD-WRT, Tomato and more. Some are difficult to install and use, but they allow you to turn up your signal a bit (it looks like you can change it a lot, but usually you only get minimal gains). You risk destroying your router installing these, so you need to read up before you do it.

Cheap
If your router has a removable antenna you can check eBay and other places for higher powered antennas. Often $10 will get you one on eBay. This only works if yours is removable, or you want to convert it to removable.At which point you will be spending closer to $20 and time with a drill and soldering iron.

Costly
You can also buy a higher powered router.
This Buffalo is a great G model with high powered antenna (gives you great range!) and great price ($60 shipped). Newegg.com - BUFFALO WHR-HP-G54 IEEE 802.3/3u, IEEE 802.11b/g Wireless-G High Power Router and Access Point

Keep in mind, that if you are just using internet, you typically only need wireless G. Wireless N is only beneficial if you have a VERY fast internet connection like FIOS, or if you share dvd size files between computers. Which is why I recommended the Buffalo, it's a well known workhorse that will last a long time, give you great range and at a great price.

However if you want N, step up to a Linksys e1000, e2000 or Netgear WNR2000, these range from $60 to a bit over $100.

If you want the best though, you need to spend around $150 for a Netgear WNDR3700 (considered the best right now) or a Linksys e3000 (I like it, and is considered to be about second best).

 

Leslieann, thanks for the thoughtful response; particularly the recommendations on routers.

Unfortunately, inSSIDer seems to confirm that I already have my placement and channel in the most favorable places.

I will look at the routers and external antennae.

Anyone have any thoughts on a directional antenna for a home wifi network?

 

You're welcome.
I didn't think about it, but being at one end has an advantage in that you can use a directional antenna. This makes it easier to boost the signal.

Take a look on instructibles.com for wifi antenna boosters. You may find something that can work. Some are ridiculously simple like cardboard and aluminum foil.
Search Instructables

 

I dont know if this applies for you, but i have the linksys wrt54g router and i had a range problem too.. i installed a custom firmware on the router and that increases the current, hence increasing the range.. it helped me a lot, and increased my routers range quite a bit..

i have this firmware installed btw: dd-wrt.com

 

For fun you can even increase your output more and watch your signal go up and down like a yoyo depending on load. Weeeeee.

When you reach this point you start shortening your routers lifespan.

 

just purchase another dd-wrt compatible router and create a wireless bridge between them, this will increase the range of your home network.

 

You could add a hub somewhere in between you and the router. It doesn't need to be on a wired connection, just within range of the signal and it will add strength and distance to the signal. Try this one Amazon.com: Cisco-Linksys Wireless-G Range Expander WRE54G: Electronics