Question : Best Way To Extend Wireless Range

I maintain the network at a publicly available computer center. We have a public hotspot, but the range is not so good. I don't know if you are familiar with IPCop, but we have an IPCop router that runs DHCP for the wireless network. An ethernet cable is run from the IPCop box to a Linksys WRT54G wireless router that is configured as an access point (the WAN port isn't being used). That AP is in the ceiling next to the door to the building (small building). The signal barely gets out to the parking lot though.

I would like to extend this range as much as possible, although we don't have thousands of dollars to spend.... I am willing to spend up to $200, but was planning on building my own antennas. I'm not really sure what the best way to hook these antennas up to my network is though. I'd rather not run them straight off of the Linksys router and replace the antennas that are already on there because then i will loose signal inside of the building. If I get another AP though I will have to design some sort of weatherproof box to keep it in outside (not to mention we are about 2000 yards from the beach and it is VERY salty). I would like a way to just run some wires through some PVC outside to a couple of antennas placed at various locations. One of the cables will probably be around 50 feet. Is this going to cause a big signal loss? What kinds of antennas should I get? Should I just make them myself? Is the best thing to do to simply get an AP and keep it inside and run the antennas outside, or if I need the wires shorter, construct a box for the AP outside? Will a regular Linksys AP work just fine? I've thought about range extenders, but I'm not so sure about them because they have to be within the "good" range of your AP in order to function well. I've also looked into the new wireless n technology, but in order for someone to REALLY benefit from that they would need an n receiver. BUT, maybe it is worth the investment if the technology is going to stick around and replace wireless g? Plus I hear you get about a 20% even for the g cards.

These are all questions that I already kind of have answers too. What I'm really looking for is for someone to tell me which solution is the best for this situation. If you want extra points you can build the weatherproof box and antenna for me too :) j/k

Answer : Best Way To Extend Wireless Range

Those distances look short to me.

http://www.buffalotech.com/products/product-detail.php?productid=90&categoryid=6 shows an AP I recently installed for a client.

Spec sheet says:

*SPEED   OUTDOOR      INDOOR
54 Mbps 165 ft. (50 m)      65 ft. (20 m)
18 Mbps 490 ft. (150 m)      195 ft. (60 m)
11 Mbps 590 ft. (180 m)      245 ft. (75 m)
1 Mbps 1870 ft. (570 m) 410 ft. (125 m)

  I consicered it's range was "normal".  It took two units just to cover the inside of his house.  Even with one external antennae, I was unable to establish a link to his garage about 150 feet away even with the external ant being outside.  I'll have to use a higher gain ant there to have a chance.