Strange home networking issue

[KatyMan]

our network set up is: wireless router connected to a cable modem. Everything has been working fine, no problems at all. My wife recently started a new job, and on Saturday she fired up her laptop (well, netbook), and we got her onto our home wireless network. About 20 minutes later, our router lost connection to the cable modem, and nothing I did would restore it (full disclosure, I have 15 years IT experience in servers and applications, and while not a hands on networking person, I know a lot about networks ). Finally, I decided that since the router was over a year old, and was cheap anyway, it probably just gave up the ghost. So Sunday I bought a new router, and it wouldn't connect to the cable modem either. Finally, after phone calls to Belkin and Comcast, each saying it wasn't their problem, I performed some sort of magic with reboots in a certain order,a long with, I suppose, proper acquiescence to the ethernet gods, the router saw the modem. Happy days. My laptop connected. Our daughter's connected. So I went to my wife's netbook, and it connected. 10 minutes later, the router lost connection to the modem. Luckily I was able to restore it, but for the life of me I can't figure out how that netbook was able to shut down my router. Anyone have any ideas?

[KatyMan]

1. Possibly fixed

Well, what worked last night was me going into the config for her office's wireless network, and unchecking the box that said 'Connect even if this network is not broadcasting'. Everything worked fine for the rest of the night after that.
Maybe it was trying to connect to a network that wasn't there and flooding the router/modem with packets? Kind of like a DoS? Who knows, but it works.

[DainBramaged]

2. Yup except the router should not have reacted like the netbook was a threat

which is probably what it thought. Belkin is shit BTW. I have been using Netgear products for years and I loves 'em.

[KatyMan]

3. Never tried Belkin before

and other than that issue, so far so good. At least now I know my old router isn't dead. It's older and slower, so is good for a backup in case the belkin goes belly up.