Best router for a macbook experiencing connection timeouts?

Question

Hi all,
I know macbook wireless connection issues have been discussed to death already, but I have a slightly different question and with Black Friday looming, I was hoping to get some input from those who may have had success with finding a new router. I apologize for the incoming wall of text, it's been a long, arduous journey.
My 2007ish Macbook ceased to be wireless over a year ago, at least at home.  I was on Snow Leopard at the time, and using the internet when it dropped suddenly but connected after a restart. It dropped several more times and each time would require more restarts. By the end of the day, it didn't see my router, nor the neighbors' forever unsecured linksys router (yet i've had to go to war defending our network from their 17 year old son) or any other nearby network. I'm no longer 100% certain, but I do believe there had recently been an update (wifi died around July 4th 2011 if anyone is an obssessive date keeper) In the next days I installed kismet and istumbler and took the macbook for a drive around the neighborhood, where it proceeded to detect all kinds of other networks that it had never seen before (like, ever because its out of range). At home, still nothing.
Over the next few months, I furiously googled for hours upon hours and tried everything I came across.  And I do mean everything, even things I consciously knew would not have any affect. I did a clean install of Lion but no change. It's been to the apple store three times, where of course it detected their network and connected with no hesitation and diagnostics showed it maintaining better signal strength than I can ever remember seeing at home. They gave me various suggestions, from the predictable 'replace wireless card' to the ludicrous 'send it off and have the antennae replaced' which would be $800 dollars because they would need to open the screen part.  Yeah..no.  At least they replaced my swelling battery and top case for free.  Anyway, thenceforth I remained chained to my desk by ethernet. 
Fast forward to now.  Still chained to the desk, but more determined than ever to do something about it. About a month ago I gave it another go and eventually after a few adjustments it started to actually detect the router and I can click to connect, enter the password, but of course, connection timeout. So the network name sits there in the dropdown menu, but bars all greyed out. Very frustrating. 
So as a last ditch effort, I have decided to try replacing our router, a Linksys WRTP54G that is infuriatingly locked to Vonage, which we no longer have. There's a motorola surfboard modem connected to the router, and a switch between the router and macbook. The switch isn't the problem, it wasn't even there when the problem started. I've also tried a WRT54G which didn't work either. The Macbook works fine on a university network, but I don't have access to any of the specifics about the network. It also connects to a plethora of other home networks and routers, some of which I do believe are b/g routers.
We're due for a more powerful, capable, and not-cursed-by-vonage router anyway as our devices have increased in number from 4 to nearly 13. I want one that can support NAS and if possible Open WRT.  I was also planning to move us behind a VPN very soon.  I know that's maybe getting a bit nitpicky, but I am definitely prepared to pay more if it means the Macbook is wireless and I can clear up the 20ft river of chords snaking not so subtly around our upstairs.
So the question is, has anyone had any luck fixing the problem by replacing the router?  Even if it doesn't have tons of features, any input on what kinds of routers seem to make Macbooks with this problem fall in line would be so helpful!!

Answer 1

Apple AirPort Extreme has served my mixed environment very well. You can buy a refurbished one from Apple and save some $.
http://store.apple.com/1-800-MY-APPLE/WebObjects/AppleStore.woa/wa/RSLID?mco=AA9 C1548&nclm=CertifiedMac