Relatively New Switcher Trying to Help Other Switcher

[hjsnapepm]

My mother recently bought an Intel iMac. She's been having problems with her AirPort connecting to our wireless network. Two wireless networks show up in the dropdown menu on both my MacBook and her iMac; one is ours and one is... well, we don't really know whose it is, but it shows up on all five computers in our house (two Macs, three PC laptops). The problem is, whenever my mother tries to connect to our network, an error shows up. She can connect to the unknown network, so the AirPort is on and works (to some extent). I can connect just fine to our network with my MacBook.

We've called Verizon, to see if there's something wrong with our router and they told us to call Apple. Well, we called Apple and they told us to try and move the darn thing closer to the router, which is only a room away in the first place. I've used my MacBook in nearly every room in the house, a lot further away than that. Now they've sent us back to call Verizon again...

Do you have any idea what could be causing the iMac to not connect to our network?

HJS

[symphonix]

First of all, what error do you get when you try to connect to your own Airport?

Try resetting the Airport station (there is a small reset button that, if you hold it for a few seconds, reverts the Airport back to factory settings) and then run the Airport Setup Assistant (found in /Applications/Utilities). Be sure to set a secure password in the setup assistant.

Once you've got it working, be sure to go into System Preferences -> Network -> Airport and set the computer to "Always connect to the specified network ..." and select your Airport. This way, you won't have to worry about it connecting to someone else's network by mistake.

[Natobasso]

Also, go to apple menu/locations and set up your mom's computer to connect to the transmitter in your house (not the unknown transmitter you mentioned). You'll need your wireless WEP password (you did set this up, yes?) for set up and then you're pretty much set as long as you have DHCP.