Router/Port Forwarding question!!

Forgive me if this sounds stupid, im still new to the whole wireless networking scene and have only recently obtained a broadband internet connection so ive had no experience with static ip's and/or port forwarding at all.

so, ive got a new laptop and a new broadband internet connection. My ISP supplied me with a broadband modem, but i needed the internet wirelessly on my laptop also so i went out and bought meself a Dlink DI524 wireless router, which is now connected to the modem. the router ISNT wired to the desktop computer (its old; doesnt have a lan port at the back), but obviously the broadband modem is. since the dlink wasnt wired to the desktop, i couldnt connect to the 192.168.0.1 address but i managed to connect to this address after my laptop picked up the router (while it was unsecured and the connection was just called "default") I setup the security and the connection for my laptop and was able to browse the internet straight away.

i realised that most p2p programs require a specific port forwarded for them to optimally run, and i followed the tutorial for a static ip and to setup a port forward for uTorrent on http://www.portforward.com. I did everything by the guides, i can still access the internet with the static ip i set up for my notebook, but uTorrent keeps telling me the port isnt open.

Im not sure what im doing wrong? does the router have to be wired to my desktop computer, and port forwarding setup on there for these programs to recognise it. theres obviously some vital step that im missing here!!

any suggestions?

 

Do you use any firewall programs ?? like windowsfirewall avg or others. try to add the forwarding port in those programs under aloud connections.

 

Windows Firewall is disabled on both my desktop and my laptop PC's. I use AVG free virus scanner, but no firewalls..

 

I use a free program called NetworkActivPortScanner, it allow you to scan your network and others for open ports.