i've installed apache from source files. it has installed with no problems. i've started the service, but when i try to enter http://localhost , i'm prompted a message that the connection was refused. i've turned off the firewall, but i still get the same message. what should i do?!

Check that it is listening and that the firewall is disabled. Post the output of:
netstat -nlp
iptables -nL

well i get the following output:

Active Internet connections (only servers)
Proto Recv-Q Send-Q Local Address Foreign Address State PID/Program name
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32768 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 3657/rpc.statd
tcp 0 0 127.0.0.1:32769 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 3775/xinetd
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 3638/portmap
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:8080 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 4347/httpd
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:6000 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 3985/X
tcp 0 0 0.0.0.0:22 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 3760/sshd
tcp 0 0 127.0.0.1:631 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 3834/cupsd
tcp 0 0 127.0.0.1:25 0.0.0.0:* LISTEN 3795/sendmail: acce
udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:32768 0.0.0.0:* 3657/rpc.statd
udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:865 0.0.0.0:* 3657/rpc.statd
udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:111 0.0.0.0:* 3638/portmap
udp 0 0 0.0.0.0:631 0.0.0.0:* 3834/cupsd
Active UNIX domain sockets (only servers)
Proto RefCnt Flags Type State I-Node PID/Program name Path
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4002 3931/gdm-binary /tmp/.gdm_socket
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4275 4068/fam /tmp/.fam_socket
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 6260 4402/esd /tmp/.esd/socket
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 3758 3814/gpm /dev/gpmctl
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4137 4014/gnome-session /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-fae-0-87c5e2e27b53
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 3857 3886/xfs /tmp/.font-unix/fs7100
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4238 4061/bonobo-activat /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-fdd-0-5c5263c8dcf28
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4129 4059/gconfd-2 /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-fdb-0-20c4cb901cd9b
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4572 4098/notification-a /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-1002-0-3dc373809d3d8
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4259 4063/gnome-settings /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-fdf-0-1a98a87820d33
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4346 4076/metacity /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-fec-0-5ba5f5b0b4b12
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4376 4084/magicdev /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-ff4-0-1082650758306
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4394 4080/gnome-panel /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-ff0-0-108265077bf14
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4419 4082/nautilus /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-ff2-0-629531592bb7c
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4456 4086/eggcups /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-ff6-0-6295315952a48
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4606 4090/python /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-ffa-0-5024fd9d1653f
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4228 4014/gnome-session /tmp/.ICE-unix/4014
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 7182 4478/wombat /tmp/orbit-jogurt/orb-1243419687347374416
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 7430 4502/gnome-terminal /tmp/orbit-jogurt/linc-1196-0-1d785b17b04a
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 6165 4385/oafd /tmp/orbit-jogurt/orb-1412517196707561022
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 6208 4393/bonobo-moniker /tmp/orbit-jogurt/orb-14443645511117114642
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 6324 4418/evolution-alar /tmp/orbit-jogurt/orb-8521871241940072944
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4107 4056/ssh-agent /tmp/ssh-XX5683Dg/agent.4014
unix 2 [ ACC ] STREAM LISTENING 4012 3985/X /tmp/.X11-unix/X0

and about iptables, i've disabled it, to check if it pervents me from entering my host.

The netstat output shows nothing about a service listening on port 80 (http). How did you start apache? With "apachectl start"? Did you get any errors when you started it?

i found the error. server started on port 8080 not 80 as i (and the browser) have expected. but i' wondering why?

Then you must have started it as a user. Only root can start services on ports below 1024. Therefore apache defautls to 8080 if you arn't root.

well to be honest i started it as root. if i try to start it as normal user server doesn't starts at all! in addition in httpd.conf port was set to 8080

Just change the port to 80 in httpd.conf, restart apache and you should be fine.

well i did so