If you are having FTP connection problems and you use Windows firewall software it has a built in reporting feature on the exceptions tab. This reporting feature is for enabling the firewall to send a message to you when windows firewall blocks a program.  You will see once it blocks a file that it has given you an option to allow the firewall to keep blocking it or to allow it to unblock this port, program, service, or IP number.  By allowing this to unblock it for any FTP software you use will create and allow an exception to open the firewall on your local PC.