Airport finding neighbors wireless router before mine

I have recently moved to a neighborhood where airport on both my MacBook Pro and MacBook finds several wireless networks when I first start up my computers. For some reason it always lites on a neighbor's network even though the signal strength is inferior and mine is at full strength. Is there a way to delete other networks from the memory or make my network the default so I do not have to go into Airport each time and select my network? I am sure this is an easy fix for many of you, but I just do not know how to resolve this. Thanks for your help.

Click on System Preferences, click on Network, and then hit the Advanced button. You'll see a list of wireless networks. If your neighbor's is located above yours, then it's set to connect to that one first. Either drag it down or simply remove it from the list by clicking on the minus button.

Thanks. I appreciate your quick and helpful response.

Greetings, I have a similar problem with several WiFi networks appearing in the available list. My network is secured checked as default but Airport may unpredictably & spontaneously switch to another network that is not secured. This is noticed only when a lower signal strength is observed. I would like to permently ignore all the other networks and have them not appear in the list. Tnx, Frites

Then just follow the steps provided by Kash and "delete" the other networks from your list using the minus sign after you've highlighted each one.
If your network is the only one in the list, then it's the only one Airport will connect to.

Thanks !! Quick reply !! One more question. I travel and find WiFi places here & there. I assume they will appear & vanish from the list as I move about. Correct ?? Tnx, Frites

Frites said:

Thanks !! Quick reply !! One more question. I travel and find WiFi places here & there. I assume they will appear & vanish from the list as I move about. Correct ?? Tnx, Frites

Click to expand...

That all depends on if you actually connect to the network. If you connect to the open network, and have the box checked saying "Remember any network this computer has joined", then it will keep it in that list.

Greetings,
The machine is an iBook G4 running OS X 10.4.11.
I follow the Preference/Network/Advanced instructions as offered by Kash to remove unwanted WiFi networks and noticed 2 things. There is no “Advanced “ option. At the Preference/Network window, a small dropdown window appears with message “Your Network Settings have been changed by another application”. This message window includes an “OK” button. I click “OK” and the message window rolls up then down again. This will persist endlessly. The Preference/Network window can not be closed but apps in the dock will open. To clear the Preference/Network window I must force a reboot using the power button.
The problem is no longer the list of WiFi networks. It’s the “Your Network Settings have been…” message and that it essentially freezes in place the Preference/Network window and prevents exercising any network options.
Any help would be appreciated…
Tnx, Frites