AirPort Express drop-out / skips -- Windows XPSP2 w/ Linksys WRT54GS router

Hello,
I'm having some skipping / drop-out issues when streaming music from a Windows XPSP2 fileserver, which runs iTunes 7.3.2.6, to my AirPort Express. I've long suspected my LinkSys WRT54GS router. Here are some things I've tried:
* tried enabling logging on my AirPort Express unit, (I actually installed a Windows SysLog client and ensured it was working) but it reveals no useful information after a skip -- just debug logging. No change.
* changed the wireless channel from 6 to 11. No change.
* Do not have wireless security enabled (just don't broadcast ESS ID). No change.
* Latest firmware on router, AirPort Express, and iTunes. No change.
* All other wireless devices in the house turned off. No change.
I'm seriously considering buying a new wireless DSL router to see if it makes the problem go away (any suggestions to makes or models appreciated). Unfortunately my WRT54GS is not one of the routers that supports reflashing with a third-party firmware, or I would have done this eons ago.
Another thing I am not sure how to test is the signal strength that the Airport Express gets from my LinkSys WRT54GS router. I've not been able to figure out how to get this information, and I also do not know what are considered good / not-good strengths. Any help here would be great.
Here are some details.
AirPort Express with Firmware 6.3, communicating wirelessly over Channel 11 to my LinkSys WRT54GS router with firmware 1.52.0, into which my Windows XPSP2 fileserver is physically connected with CAT5 cable. The music files are served up on a Maxtor DiamondMax 10 7200 rpm 300GB Serial ATA-150 Hard Drive.
I've really tried everything I can think of, and I still get skipping.
Specifically, music will play fine for 45 minutes, or 5 minutes, or an hour; then, the music will suddenly stop. The AirPort Express will continue to have its green LED on, though. The music will resume 1-10 seconds later. This skipping will happen periodically for a 1-2 minute period, usually 2-3 times per minute, go away for an indeterminate amount of time; or, it might persist until I get tired and turn off my stereo. There is no pattern as to time of day so I don't suspect neighborly interference.
Other things in the house are an older 802.11b laptop, 5.8GHz phone, brand new microwave, and a few dozen Palm and Windows PDAs that all have their WiFis disabled, where appropriate.
Any suggestions or ideas would be fantastic. This has been a problem for a couple of years now which I have systematically (though unsuccessfully) tried to solve.
Thanks,
-Jeff

I haven't yet budgeted to buy a different router, but I'll respond when I do as to whether this was the fix or not.
Just an observation ... in your case, the music streams wirelessly from your laptop to your router, and then wirelessly again from the router to your Airport. That's 2 wireless paths it must go. In my case, music streams directly to my router with a LAN cable; then, wirelessly from my router to the airport. So that's only 1 wireless path, and even still I am experiencing problems.

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