[Novices] wireless network range expansion?

[Adam Tauno Williams]

> I'm new to Kalamazoo and I could use your expertise.  I've got this 
> typical Linksys wireless G router that won't reach crucial areas of my 
> house.  

Are you sure it is a range issue and not an interference one?

> I tried the $80 larger antennae that Linksys sells (ouch) to 

I've had good luck with commercial antennae,  perhaps you need a
directional one.

> little avail, and today tried their $100 "range expander" repeater, 
> which apparently doesn't work with WEP.  (It's hard to say for sure 
> since the configuration software Linksys bundles is, of course, 
> Windows-only--but I've just seen reviews online that suggest it doesn't 
> work with WEP in Windows either.)
> Does anyone have a suggestion for a way to expand my wireless range 
> that's a good combination of a) cheap, b) easy to set up, and c) plays 
> nice with linux?

How about just repositioning the WAP?

> (Though I've been using linux for 4 or 5 years now, I'm still a relative 
> novice--never recompiled a kernel, for example, and very little 
> networking knowledge.)

Thats OK; I never want to recompile a kernel again.