Time for fun hardware stuff. Hop over to this page:

http://martybugs.net/wireless/collinear.cgi

and build it. This is a design for a 2.4ghz "collinear antenna" using twisted copper wire. Exceedingly simple, just solder one end into your N connector, make a couple turns, and stuff into PVC pipe.

Here's mine. I went with the "longer dimensions" version for MAXIMUM COVERAGE.

In all its glory:

Close-up of the wire soldered to the cup:

Close-up of a couple twists: