The trusty WRT54G routers I have deployed everywhere are starting to show their age. I'm suspecting some sort of wireless activity by newer routers that causes the wireless chipsets in the WRTs to go haywire.

On top of that, the reception in my room is extremely sketchy, and even though I have setup my Airport Express as a WDS (wireless distribution system) access point, my laptop with a first generation airport card can not connect, making it useless.

So I'm looking at replacing my primary router (I have two) with some Pre-N MIMO router.

The questions I have:

Will Pre-N routers have any better handling of 802.11b wireless cards (extended range)?

This is the primary reason I'm looking at these.

If this is true, can they handle MIMO/Pre-N mode simultaneously with 802.11g & 802.11b? Belkin's router specifically says that their router handles b,g & pre-m better than anybody else.

Also, what router would you recommend?

I'm thinking of the Belkin Router, though at $150, it is pretty expensive...

Alternatives?