issues with wireless...advice?

I am having the most bizarre problem with my wireless network. So, my router is connected to the internet, and then to a desktop computer. I am able to access the internet through the desktop. Then I also have my laptop and netbook which I use to connect to the wireless network. My laptop can find the network and connects to it without problems, but my netbook finds the network, and fails to connect. When I try to troubleshoot it, I get the message saying that I need to make sure the router is plugged in, or I need to reset the router.....huh?? If that was the problem than my laptop wouldn't connect either...
Sooo confusing
Oh, and it's not an issue with the netbook's hardware either, because I can connect it to my boyfriend's network withour problems..

I don't know, because I was able to use it like 2 days ago ...
Soooo weird!! It corrected itself though, lol...
I just went to a few places, came back and it connected ....i hope it doesn't make a habit of doing this

It's an acer aspire one...

02:00.0 Network controller: Atheros Communications Inc. AR9285 Wireless Network Adapter (PCI-Express) (rev 01)

I think this is the wireless card??

I am not using ndiswrapper, but when I was having the issue I tried to connect through Windows 7 and that didn't work either (I still have windows 7 on my netbook since I have plenty of space on the hard drive)
all I am using is the broadcom driver, as soon as I installed mint it prompted me to install it and then wireless started working, I haven't done anything special at all.
I have to say though I'm not all that happy with how this driver works, because since I connect to 3 networks mainly- mine, BF's and the school's, when I used windows, it would automatically connect to the network I've added as auto connect and as soon as I open the netbook I had internet. With mint, I open it and the wireless starts thinking, lol...If I let it continue it won't do anything. So I have to click on the network I want to connect to and wait like 2-3 minutes before it connects. I know 2-3 minutes isn't a big deal but given how I'm used to instantaneous it kinda bothers me just a little. Especially since when I'm at school, I open and close my netbook at least every hour sometimes even more often, so having to wait 2-3 minutes just for it to connect becomes even more bothersome given I have to go through with it like 10 times a day..especially since sometimes I open my netbook to check something that will take a minute- and having to wait longer to connect than it would take me to look something up is just a pain..
And this is despite the fact that I've added the networks as auto connect and saved their WPA keys and everything.

It just did it again...I was on the network using the internet and it disconnected randomly saying it can't connect while my other computers are connected without any problems at all.
I think my best bet is to take it to the store since it's under warranty.