Hey Jo_Ann,
What most might not realize is that laptop wireless can sometimes be the real culprit as it often weak and very finicky due to the design of the antennas inside the laptop. I once had a gaming laptop which was suppose to have "superior wireless", but it turns out that even this was not able to overcome the interference of appliances/walls and barely got a very strong signal.
Sure, Verizon routers are hardly ideal in comparison to others out there I have tested, but I have learned that an even smarter and cheaper approach for a better signal can come from the use of just simply applying a wireless adapter to your laptop. I originally invested in this http://www.amazon.com/Etekcity-Wireless-Network-Adapter-Antenna/dp/B006JWMOOI/ and found it to be the cheapest and best wifi adapter out there with tons of flexibilty of positioning if needed.
When I used it, it ate right through the interference and gave me 5 bars with a superb signal. Maybe this device can be of use to you to try out as a cheaper and alternative solution.