Increase wireless range??

Hello
i've just installed a wireless network in my gf's student house and am having issues with reception, the walls must be lined with lead or something because even in the next room signal strenght is low and drops out alot.

So i'm gonna try and increase the signal strength somehow, considering a booster of some sort.
Firstly any recomendations??
Secondly, i've got a wireless access point lying about, is there any way i can use that to boost range, i've heard talks of setting up a 'repeater' or 'bridge' but not really sure what this means.
Would the access point work as a big wireless network card if i plugged it into ethernet port of laptop?


Here's the current setup:
Cable modem > linksys wireless router
router > PC desktop via ethernet(no probs what so ever)
router > PC laptops via wireless network cards

If laptops in same room no probs, but next room signal drops out

Any help would make my life much easier, i just wanna visit my gf without becoming tech support

I've heard from a couple of friends that the AirPort Express will work as a repeater but I'm not sure if this is true or not. Anyone know if this is the case?

-Chris

update

i just plugged in my access point into power to see what would happen and it came up as it's own netwrok. Not repeating anything yet. might need configuring....
How i'm not sure yet

EDIT: Acces point is a linksys WAP11 ver 2.6

Umm its a bit complex but if your routers have support you can enable RIP Direction after making one router join the others network...


Some stuff from my netgears LAN IP Setup page:
* RIP Direction: RIP (Routing Information Protocol, RFC1058 and RFC1389) allows a router to exchange routing information with other routers. The RIP Direction selection controls how the router sends and receives RIP packets. Both is the default.
o When set to Both or Out Only, the gateway will broadcast its routing table periodically.
o When set to Both or In Only, it will incorporate the RIP information that it receives.
o When set to None, it will not send any RIP packets and will ignore any RIP packets received.
* RIP Version: This controls the format and the broadcasting method of the RIP packets that the gateway sends. (It recognizes both formats when receiving.) By default, this is set for RIP-1.
o RIP-1 is universally supported. RIP-1 is probably adequate for most networks, unless you have an unusual network setup.
o RIP-2 carries more information. Both RIP-2B and RIP-2M send the routing data in RIP-2 format.
o RIP-2B uses subnet broadcasting.
o RIP-2M uses multicasting. (See note below.)

Note: Multicasting can reduce the load on non-router machines because they do not listen to the RIP multicast address and will not receive the RIP packets. However, if one router uses multicasting, then all routers on your network must use multicasting.

I had this working for a while with my Netgear and AirportExpress, but then i just switched to the airportexpress in a more central location. I know it also works with Linksys, but I'm not sure of the options and stuff try googling for more. An easier option is to get a 20 buck bidirectional antenna and use it, they have a nice spread on either side and u can aim the face at the ofending walls to get better reception on the other side of it.

the airport express only will extend the range if you have an airport base station. i was SO mad when i found that out, after i bought my ap express...

bu honestly, in my opinion at least, the linksys routers are piles of junk.. i had the wireless g router for a while,. and decided to upgrade to an airport extreme solely based on the fact that i wanted it to be compatable with my ap express. But in the end i am so happy that i did upgrade. a_, the ap extreme station just looks 100x better than that flimsy linksys pile. b) the configuration is so much easier, you dont have to go to 192.168.1.1, its right in the utility folder. and also you can plug the printer right into it, and that was worth it alone to me.. but other than that i think your going to have more trouble than its worth trying to extend the linksys, in my opinion.

the linksys routers run linux and you can modify the setback on the range. i modified mine. breaking some fcc rules. but i have a range all the way down my street now...

it's not easy to do. just throwing the info out there.... if anyone wants the article on it let me know.

josh