trying to host/join game via direct connect

Okay folks, I need some help with multiplayer hosting  and connecting to a host issues.. (direct and or lan connect, not  through iron lore)
 
I’m running a windows 7 home premium 64 bit os, as is my buddy who’s trying to connect to my machine.  Each time we try to connect, we get the disconnected from host error.  I’ve read over monk’s hosting thread repeatedly and  I’m at the point to where I don’t know what else to do.
The router I’m using is a Linksys wrt160N v2 class router, so no unlocking anything extra with it.
 
Ports unlocked.  6000, and 6112, tried TCP/UDP for both, then tried TCP only.
He says both ports are open on his end as well.
 
I’ve enabled NAT, and both enabled and disabled uPnP.
I’ve tried running as administrator, even though I understand that’s no longer needed from one of the prior patches.
I’ve tried creating a virtual LAN using hamachi, but even that’s odd, as he gets some sort of tunneling error when trying to connect to me.  I’ve tried to see if my ports are  open and listening, and the link that monk had to check ports is saying that they’re timing out. 
 
I’ve thrown open the DMZ and disabled windows firewall, and made sure that anything resembling a firewall is disabled on my router. I’ve ensured that my ip address and the ports to be forwarded are the same.  i.e. 100. I’ve rebooted sose, rebooted the router, all to no avail after these changes.
I’d like to play online but I understand that since he’s using my second computer that two copies of the same license cannot be on at the same time.  I suspect my router is locked down somewhere that I haven’t seen, but I’m not able to see where it is.   Can I get a little help please?