Is there a way to amplify the signal strength of a wireless internet connection at the recieving end??

I have a laptop in my shop and a wireless router in the house. Is there a way I can amplify the signal at the laptop? I have done all the stuff at the router. Bigger antennas and best location. Do wireless cards get a stronger signal than built in ones? is there an antenna I can use in conjunction with a wireless card? Should I buy and try a wireless card or is the internal card on a laptop better??