Port Forwarding

[#1]

ive tried port forwarding without success using the guide for a netgear dg834 router at the portforward.com website, im refusing to give up without understanding why.
ive setup a static ip address (though im not sure i needed to as there is only one pc connected to the router) & ive created a firewall rule for port 50000. ive checked & rechecked & now im doubting the information im using rather than thinking im not following the process correctly. i have a couple of queries they may or may not be relevant but may help me to eliminate them.
* ive just realised there is a plusnet firewall which was set to high, presumably this is in addition to my router firewall, should i turn this plusnet firewall off?
* secondly the static ip address i can see in the plusnet member page bears no resemblance to the static ip address i set up in windows (modified gateway address).
please help.

[#2]

Yes, the Plusnet firewall on High setting will be a problem. You might be ok with it set to low though.
I would set it to off , check that your forwarding works and then try it back on low.
The static ip on the member page is your public ip address , the one you set on your pc is a private one on your local network ( ie behind the router ).
What you are doing with portforwarding is forwarding all incoming traffic on the specified port addressed to your public ip, to the defined static ip.
Hope that helps

[#3]

When you change the Plusnet firewall setting remember you must disconnect from Plusnet, then reconnect for the change to take effect. You don't need to reboot your router unless you want to.

[#4]

well would you believe it! (he says sounding like his mother) ive really no idea why, but port 50000 is open. it might be to do with a firmware upgrade i did on my router about 30mins ago or setting plusnet firewall to 'Block common ports except HTTP and HTTPS' i cant be sure at the moment.
many thanks for your quick replies.
all the best.