Extended range

Ok. Right now I have a desktop wired to a wireless router and a laptop on wireless. I go to school and live across the street of my university. Currently I live upstairs and my laptop can get a wireless signal from the university altho really slow it comes in handy when we go over our 60 Gb bandwith (for 10 people in the house) and get cut off. Starting in may i will have a room downstairs which will not be able to connect to the university and i'l also have to buy a wireless card. Also it will just be me so I'd have to pay full costs of internet if i choose to have it.

Now, I was wondering if theres an easy way to maybe extend the range of my wireless cards. I heard things like repeaters or pigtails. what i'm wondering can i just attach a wire from a wireless card to the antenna which is located within the range of the signal? Or can I set up a unused wireless router to take the signal the send it to a closer router, or even could I connect a ethernet cable to my computer from the wireless router thats in the range? internet is $5/month with the 10 people but during the summer it will be $50/month so I'm looking to save $200 by using the university internet (which i had to do last year the odd week i came to the house here) or maybe more if it works better than our over priced internet.

another option is wep cracking local networks within range but I do not understand the process fully and what i'd need to crack unless someone can find a cracking for dummies guide

just looking at options. chances are I'l just pay for the internet and set it up in my room so wireless isn't required and get the full speeds