Tips: try several SD cards to try out different Images (Raspbian, Raspbmc, OpenELEC, ...). For example, I can on one of my SD cards only boot Noobs, a direct OpenELEC Image not boot. In the line config.txt "boot_delay = 1" Add, if only the red LED lights and the Raspberry does not boot. Powerful and good power supplies use (I use eg Rydges 2000mAh). Possibly WLAN sticks with an external antenna at greater distances than a few feet to the router - indeed need more power but better range. The small sticks take up little space and little power, good at small distances.
Have fun with the Raspberry!