Need some info on a wireless solution

It's very hard to say without actually looking at your layout.  Given you've done it before, you should know roughly how much area one access point can cover.  If one access point can take care of a floor, you'd need 3 of them.  If it takes less, then less.  If you'll never use internet in the far corners of the house, then who cares if they're missed.

 

As a rule, new access points and repeaters will be cheaper than commercial antennas -- and much easier to self install/ setup.  That said, feel free to try a self-made antenna with a single access point and see how your range improves: http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/index.html

 

You might consider: broadband source --> router -->switch (probably built into the router).  If you can run cat5e up and down floors from where the switch is, then you can connect one access point per floor to the switch.  If not, you'll probably need to look for a product that offers repeaters.

Thanks for the info! I can't run the cat5 :-( that was my first option when I was first looking at the whole thing. Lets say this.... Should I make the access point the first floor(BB router w/ the extender Ants) and then put a repeater on the basement lvl and 2nd lvl? I guess I'm trying to figure out the best way to have "near" direction Cat5 connection speeds.

 

Thanks again!