WDS question: how do I know if routers have disconnects?

I have two WRT54G routers running DD-WRT v23 (25/12/05) in WDS.

Occasionally, a WiFi PC on my WLAN will disconnect from the node and will
not reconnect on its own.

On a similar tack, how would I know if the node router ever disconnected
from the gateway router (the WDS connection dropping)? If the connection
drops, what is it about WDS that makes the routers reconnect to each other?
Is the router-router WDS WiFi connection more dependable (all other factors
being considered equal) than a client signal (using a small 5dB aerial)?

I was thinking about adding a second WDS node by the WiFi PC and cabling the
PC to it: no point if the WDS connection is just as likely to drop, or just
as likely to drop and not reconnect.

Thoughts and guidance gratefully received...