Best WiFi speed for modem router

[#1]

I have always suffered from slow wi-fi speed, living in an old cottage with very thick internal walls, and it is long and thin to make matters worse.  I have my original Linksys WAG354G still which is old technology, no doubt.  When I go to connect my laptop, I always see neighbours' modems, from even 150 yards up the road, but sometimes I do not even see my own !
So can anyone recommend a good, but not too expensive, modem router which might improve the connection speeds through the thick walls.
My router is currently located upstairs in a bedroom, because I imagined it would work better higher up.  But could I be mistaken ?

[#2]

What's the best technology your computer can support, will it do wireless-N?

[#3]

Have you tried repositioning the router, sometimes even a few inches makes a difference? Try altering the angle of the antennae slightly.
Go up the road with your laptop and see how far away you can pick up your Network. Ask your neighbours what routers they are using, they may be better.

[#4]

Putting it upstairs sometimes helps if the signal then only has to go through wooden floors, rather than thick walls.
I also suffered from exactly the same problem: thick walls, long narrow building (with the router right at the back of the house!), and poor wifi more than a couple of walls away from the router. I tried a number of different routers, none of which solved the problem. I considered putting a wireless access point at the other end of the house and linking it to the main router using homeplugs. But I eventually settled on buying a top-of-the range Asus router. It's not the cheap solution you are looking for, I'm afraid, but it completely solved my particular problem. I'm on FTTC, but I think you're on ADSL, so the equivalent ADSL version to mine would be the Asus DSL-N55U. It's about £95 from Amazon - not the inexpensive solution you're looking for! Others may be able to recommend something cheaper, but I'm very glad I bought mine (a RT-N66U).
It might be worth buying whatever you finally choose from somewhere that will accept it back if it doesn't solve the problem.

[#5]

Quote from: apjashley1

What's the best technology your computer can support, will it do wireless-N?

N will not help with the OP problem. When you have problems with range or building construction you will start to lose the higher frequencies.
Using a directional antenna may help.

[#6]

My Asus N66u gives awesome range (before I had to use a wireless repeater) - and we have a large house (12,000 sq ft) and everything is concreted/padstone walls.

[#7]

Yep I got the n66u also beast of a router

[#8]

Thanks.  Funny how one thing leads to another - I just bought a Samsung Galaxy Tablet and, because it is so portable, it rather defeats the object if you cannot connect anywhere in the house !  So it looks like it is about to cost another £95 to upgrade to the Anus Router ! Grrrrrr !  So the Galaxy was not as good a bargain after all !
Thanks for all the assistance.  A great help.

[#9]

Quote from: shermans

the Anus Router

Don't you just love spill chuckers...

[#10]

And I thought it was spull chickers 

[#11]

Only if you're from New Zealand...

[#12]

It's a term I would certainly use for the TG582n, but certainly not for my brilliant RT-N66U