WiFi antennae made from cheap Chinese cookware Client Adapter
WiFi hackers are building cheap, incredibly powerful WiFi antennae out of Chinese cookware (like this $2 parabolic "dumpling scoop") and USB WiFi dongles. They've got extensive build and testing notes: I wonder where I can get a dumpling scoop of my own? Link

Cheap USB wifi adapter is placed at focal point of inexpensive "cookware" to produce hi gain antennas capable of networking entire neighborhoods with a single access point or wireless router. Because usb cable carries power and digital signal to remote rf modulator there is no cable loss. the home made antenna can be positioned in attic and usb cable routed to desktop downstairs. max USB cable lemgth of apx 5 meters can be extended with purchase of active extender. Your desktop
client adapter cost is typically less than $50!

Two household networks can be bridged inexpensively using retail bridges and cantennas. I use linksys wap54g's in bridge mode but the new dedicated bridges are even better. cantennas can be purchased for around $30 and mounted in attic to underside of roofline with tie wraps or bungie cord. with a cantenna in each house attic directed at each other you can maintain full speed comms up to 4 houses away even with vinyl siding and construction material. The bridges connects to the home router or hub with ethernet cable. If you want the remote household to part of your network neighborhood you should have only 1 router and remote household use only hub.