I'm setting up a wireless network for my new residence this fall, but it isn't the normal set up. The building is an old frat house that has been purchased by a group of architecture students. There will be at least 18 people living in the place, and I've been assigned the job of setting up a wifi network that will support everyone.

What are the best options here?

Seeing as I'll get to deal with the headaches, I'm going pretty hard core at limitations to start with (ie - no p2p, etc...)

I've been looking at the idea of purchasing WRT54GL routers. Perhaps 2 for each floor. Ideally, I could do this and we could purchase two internet connections and that would at least distribute the traffic. I figure that 18 people on any normal home wifi router is going to bring connections to a screeching halt.

I'm open to suggestions and pricier hardware, but the more bang for the buck the better.

I suggest dd-wrt as an alternative firmware to that router that will also boost your signal a bit and to make sure each router is on a different wireless channel. I think the paid for version of dd-wrt has even better user statistics and controls I think it's like $10 a license but I would try the free one first. I don't think 18 people is such a stretch on one router as long as some of them are wired but better do at least two to be on the safe side. You'll be eliminating p2p which is most of your heavy use. I know enterprise grade stuff does like 50 people.