Ubuntu Networking :: Port 21 Closed/can't Connect To Server With Ftp

Wow, don't know why I seem to have so much trouble with this ftp stuff. I have so start all over a few times, reinstalling Lucid Lynx destop all over, and adding the needed files to make it a server. I am just trying to do something simple for now- just having a localhost server environment to develop my joomla website, and later on host it from my server 'out there' (I already have a domain name and dynDNS service with nameservers etc. but don't want to do that yet, as I have in the past with my router forwarding port 80, and actually got hacked! so I don't want to do that again until I learn more about security) My problem right now is that I can't even get the localhost ftp to 'connect to the server'. i know the host name (localhost) and username/password that I set when I set up Lucid Lynx, and I'm sure that is what I use for the ftp usernamepassword, host etc. And I put port 21 for the port. I see from 'Shields Up' that my port 21 is closed. So I followed advice on a thread and entered a few commands in the terminal to ad iptables etc. But still, port 21 is closed and I can't install components with the Joomla installer in admin's backend. And I can't use fireftp to even change permissions in my local folders. What do i do next, open port 21 somehow? I saw a terminal command about opening port 21 that was simple but I forget it.