Attempting to create network bridges prevents Wireless card from operating correctly

After checking this forum, Google, and Microsoft.com, I still can't fix my problem. Whenever I try to create a network bridge (specifically, I want to connect a non-wireless PC to my wireless network via my laptop), my wireless card (Atheros AR5005G Wireless Network Adapter) stops being able to connect to networks. I checked Google, and eventually got to Microsoft.com where it said to force compatibility mode. I've done so, however the card still fails to connect to my wireless network when bridged (as a note, it works fine when not bridged). Does anybody have any ideas what I could do to try and get my card to connect properly when bridged?

The Wireless AP setup is below:

802.11g, SSID broadcast on, "linksys".
No encryption or security of any kind
approximately 20' from my laptop, through 2 walls.

As a note, when I got the laptop, I altered the network metrics to force the laptop to use the wireless nic instead of wired, because of physical network characteristics (specifically, the wireless was 54 mbps, where as the wired was 100- but the wired lan was not internet-connected, so I changed the metrics so windows would use the wireless even when the wired connection was active)