[ale] Ultra-cheap wireless gear - slightly [OT]

[Beddingfield, Allen]

This is an impoverished shoe-string budget project.  I am helping with the IT "stuff" at a community center in a small town nearby.  They are in an OLD cement block schoolhouse.  They have a single CenturyLink 25mbs connection in an office in the center of the building (the only ISP and highest speed available).  The wireless does not penetrate those walls well, so it sucks if you get more than a couple of offices away.  The building is laid out as such that 3 access points should cover it adequately.  I'm thinking of running a single CAT5 to an unmanaged 100MB switch in the middle of the building,running the runs of CAT5 from there to the optimal places for access points, and connecting up some cheap/consumer grade access points there.  (Naming them "EAST-WIFI", "MIDDLE-WIFI", "WEST-WIFI", etc..).  
Question:  It seems that dumb access points are harder to come by and more expensive than routers. Do any of you have an recommendations for just an access point (keep in mind, I need CHEAP), or for a router that is known to work well in access point mode?  (Keep in mind, I'm looking at sub-$30 wifi routers on NewEgg and trying to remember what was on the shelf at the thrift store at this point).
Any recommendations on cobbling this together on the cheap?  I need either a good access point, or a router that I can easily put in access point mode.
FYI, performance is not much of a concern.  The kids won't be using this, it will just be for a few staff computers. Main issue is reliability.  I am about 20miles away, and their on-site technical ability is low.
Alternatively, any opinions on wireless repeaters?
--
Allen Beddingfield
Systems Engineer
Office of Information Technology
The University of Alabama
Office 205-348-2251
allen at ua.edu