Re: picking up another belkin network - If I take my laptop into the garden I see two belkin wireless networks. Some people can't be bothered to change the default SSID which makes it ever so easy to guess the default admin password!
Don't worry about seeing the belkin network.
Now this leads me to another point. Your original problem could be due to your ap and the other belkin ap clashing. I'd be willing to bet the other belkin network is broadcasting on the same channel as yours did - if that was the case then yours would never work correctly.