In that case you definitely need an upgrade. The 802.11 G should handle your newer machines. I have no problems at all with brand new laptops.
The home construction I was talking about was that there is a lot more metal in CBS construction, there is rebar everywhere. And the 2nd story floor is concrete that is 4 inches thick, so I had great difficulty getting a strong signal upstairs. With the size that my house is I probably would have had trouble no matter what the construction material was. It's just too far from the access point to many of the rooms in my house. My whole wireless setup was less than 150 bucks.