problems with wireless connection on mac and PCs on network

need help....PLEASE!

have a new linksys WRT310N hooked up, and several computers on my network 1 macbook pro (OSX), and several PCs connected wirelessly to the network (all running windows XP). I can access the internet through my ethernet connection, but some of the PCs struggle to access the internet via wireless, even though the status shows that they are connected to the network, with a good signal. I also find that the connections for both ethernet and the wireless when I had it working does not automatically connect when I switch my computer on, or any of the others. It is driving me nuts that I am spending so much time trying to re-config and get all working sweetly, when I am sure its something very simple that I am missing....please anyone have any thoughts?

I'd start with the Wireless Networking FAQ and then let us know if you have any further questions after trying the suggestions mentioned there.

thanks. I followed the instuctions, changed channels, frequency etc and applied WPA security and the network is definitely better, although not perfect, as one of the PC laptops when logging on from cold seems to spend a long period of time 'aquiring new IP address' and eventually locks on. I am also finding that everytime I turn on my MBP, and start Safari, it tells me I am not connected to the internet? I then go to my router settings and re-config. Again, this is using the Linksys WRT310N.

I also use transmission for torrents, and made some adjustments to port forwarding along with a suggestion to make my MBP a static vs dynamic IP address. Will these changes affect performance of the internet connection on my MBP?

thanks in advance.....

PS: I have more Q's on various issues around networking, etc, but will go one at a time