WRT54G as an additional AP?

If you change your wording a bit (wireless is NOT the same as no cat-5), then you can do it very simply using existing power wires, I use netgears

both their ethernet bridge, and the access point over powerline, and have one of each hooked into my linksys wrt54g, so I can use both hardwire or wireless from anywhere in the house... Under $100 and runs at max 85mbps (faster than wireless).. Before I went with their powerline ap, used the powerline bridge to go from one wrt54g to another (had the 2nd set as just an ap, no dhcp server)...

Yah, but since I already have this other router, I was looking to see if I could just use it without having to spend more coin. The two far runs are still connected via CAT-5, so I'm not in any particular hurry. I was just curious as to the best way to accomplish the task with what I have.

a couple of thoughts

-someone, ToddH? mentioned 3rd party firmware DDWRT and OpenWRT to you. Unless you are totally inept and can't follow directions, you are unlikely to brick the Linksys. Advantage? Ability to boost signal strength via software on the Linksys. Your orphans at the other end of the house would benefit.

-since you've already got cable running the length of the house, run a coax cable from your through-wall entry point to a spot in the middle of the house where you could place the WRT54G

Many devices in the wireless world should do what you think they should do but will not. I had a similar problem in that I wanted to connect two wired lans with a wireless link. I ended up buying three separate boxes (netgear) to solve the problem. Wireless extenders must be able to work in "bridge mode". Otherwise they controll their own lan. I think that WRT's with the factory software will not bridge but the 3rd party software adds that capability. Do the research first BEFORE flashing.

later.....

I bought these and they work great. I had the same problem with the WAP being in the far back room and trying to get the signal to the front room and to the back yard.

I just plugged the wired transmitter in the room where the router was and then plugged the wireless extender AP to a wall plug in the living room and it works great getting the signal to the rest of the house and out back.

Try them. You can find them pretty cheap at some outlet sites. I bought mine for $24.95.

You need this kit to make it work.

Excellent message. Thank you very much.

That kit is $150 at Office Depot. What is the $24.95 item you referred to?

Over the years netgear has made 4 types of the powerline stuff... they use some number scheme for em , i just call em Type 1=14mbps, type 2= 54 Mbps, type 3=85 Mbps, and type 4=200 Mbps (only work with gigabit ethernet cards)... The cheapie ones are the older slower ones someone blew out for cheap when the new ones came out.. The kits at Office Depot are probably the same one's I got from them (85 Mbps).. Note the earlier link I posted is the page before the one above.. They make both powerline bridges AND powerine access points... Used to use the bridge and one of my spare wrt54g's, got tired of two power things and went with the powerline access point above (the access points above are about $150, the bridge version was about $90, can be used with spare wrt54g's)

I go about 80 feet through a couple of outside walls (or at an angle through some non-facing windows, it's hard to say), using a free reflector. If you have any signal at all, this might help enough.

EZ-12, printed on photo paper for thick stock, with aluminum foil glued to the sail, provides a substantial boost in signal. The signal with the reflector is not only 13dB stronger, it's more stable.

I bought them on the Woot site as a one day deal. If you don't know abou this site, they have one day deals on all kinds of items at awsome prices. Some go real quick and others linger around.

I've had them for about a month now and have had no problems whatsoever. I got the 54mbps units.

Check it out the site for other awsome deals:

PS: There is a whole kit on ebay right now for less than $50. Item number:

150107214838