If you keep your wallet on your computer open you are 'Leeching' not "Seeding". Meaning that your Port 8333 is most likely not open for other nodes to see and seed from... Might not be a good idea to open up your client you have coins in:
You can follow a well done script to get a Seeding node up and running on a VPS if you have one or care to get one - they are reasonable priced.
http://www.reddit.com/r/Bitcoin/comments/1se3zd/how_to_create_a_full_bitcoin_node_in_a_5_ubuntu/
it runs in root, uses the Ubuntu PPA, opens up 8333, sets a firewall, and sets ssh port to default 22.
to upgrade bitcoind from time to time, run sudo apt-get update then sudo apt-get upgrade. make sure the new version is posted to the PPA first though by Matt Corrallo.
Then follow what Gweedo states for "NOHUP" to have your bitcoind autostart on reboots and when you close out of SSH.
OK PLEASE NOOB STEP BY STEP PLEASE. also is this possible:
having my laptop open 24/7 using the wifi at my house functioning as a node without paying for VPN
i want to do this but someone has to make this lamen for me!