Encrypted WPA ?

Currently running a 3 PC (2 wired, 1 wireless) in home network. Sense this concerns "only" the wireless client I will stick to just that info. unless more is needed\requested. The wireless laptop uses a Linksys Wireless-G Mod. #WPC54G with WPA-TKIP enabled with a 63 mixed character key. This connects through a Linksys Wireless-G Access Point. The AP is wired to a Linksys EtherFast 10/100 8 port switch with the 2 other wired clients. The switch is then hardwired to a Linksys-G Bridge. The bridge then sends and receives it`s connection via a Maxrad directional antenna over about 150'. At the reciving end is an identical Maxrad directional antenna, Linksys AP, then a 5 port Linksys switch with one cat5 going to the cable modem the others running to another Linksys 16 port switch then are run to the other PC`s (1 wireless as well) and printers on the network. All IP`s are static. My 3 PC`s have DHCP disabled and DNS to manual. On occasion I will receive the Windows warning of an IP conflict on the network. At which time of course I lose connectivity to the "other side of the WAN (shared drives) as well as my Internet connection. This only happens on my 3 clients, not on the other side of the WAN. While trying to run down the problem I discovered an unsecured network\PC in the area operating on the same channel broadcasting its MAC address.However the signal strength showed as 0. No strange PCs showed up in My Networkplaces either. wwhhhhhheeeeewwww....... Hope that is enough info. Now for the question. Can this 0 signal strength unsecured network be the cause of the IP conflict on our secured network? Thanks for any and all input\info.\suggestions.
Added;The foreign PC has left the building and so has the problem. Coincidence?

 

I suppose that kind of depends. Some AP/routers will assign a new system an IP before it attempts to authenticate. If that system has a conflicting IP, then that would make a lot of sense. I would think this would show in the logs. In such a case you could use MAC filtering to keep it, and others, out. If MAC filtering is REALLY not an option, you could blacklist that MAC.

 

MAC is not enabled. This thread has kind of been picked up here. https://www.wilderssecurity.com/showthread.php?p=852225#post852225
Thanks for the in put.