Windows 7: Remote Access to SQL Server Express 2008 Windows 7

Hello,

I have installed SQL Server Express 2008 on my desktop and am attempting to connect to it from my lap top. I have enabled remote connections for SQL Server and opened up a port on my desktop. When I attempt to connect to the server instance from my laptop via ipaddress\sqlserver with the Windows 7 firewall turned on and the port open, the attempt fails. However, if I turn off the firewall and attempt to connect via my laptop the connection is successfull.

I followed the steps to open up the port:

1. To enable port 1433 on Windows 7
   
   1. On the Start menu, click Control Panel.
   2. Click System and Security.
   3. Click Windows Firewall.
   4. Click Advanced Settings.
   5. In the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security on Local Computer dialog, click Inbound Rules.
   6. In the Actions panel, click New Rule….
   7. In the New Inbound Rule Wizard, click Port, and then click Next.
   8. In the Specific local ports: box type 1433. Ensure that the (default) TCP radio button is selected and then click Next.
   9. Ensure that the (default) Allow the Connection radio button is selected and then click Next.
   10. Clear or select the Domain, Private, and Public checkboxes as appropriate, and then click Next.
   11. In the Name box, type an appropriate name, such as SQL Server Port, and then click Finish.

Can anyone offer up any suggestion on why I can connect with the firewall turned off, but not when it is on?

Any suggestions are greatly appreciated!
Win7Newb

Hi, Welcome to SF,

You also wanna open the UDP port number 1434 and restart the Computer. Also

C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.x\MSSQL\Binn\SQLSERV.exe
C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\SQLBrowser.exe

For more info: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/cc646023.aspx

Hope this helps,
Captain

Thanks for the reply Cap!

Unfortunately adding exceptions for the listed items didn't solve the issue. Here are the steps I have taken thus far:

1. Enable remote connections for SQL Server
2. Opened TCP port 1433 via inbound rule
3. Opened UDP port 1434 via inbound rule
4. Added the above .exe files to inbound rules.

I also browsed the article that you linked to, but it didn't seem to carry any answer. More than likely, I wouldn't know the answer even if I saw it. Any suggestions?

Thanks Much
Win7Newb

Hello Win7Newb,

You need to add for both Inbound and Outbound Firewall. I'll attach a article its for another software but it's basically for sharing using SQL. HERE just follow the steps for SQL alone leave about the other.

Hope this helps,
Captain

Hey Cap,

Thanks again for your reply. It is all up and running. Here are some step by step details for getting this to work (just a plain text summary of all the info Captain provided me):

1) Enable remote connections to Sql Server. The instructiions are for SQL Server 2005, but the steps are the same for 2008.

2) Set up Inbound and Outbound rules for TCP port 1433

3) Set up Inbound and Outbound rules for UDP port 1434

4) Set up inbound and outbound exceptions for sqlservr.exe. I am running a 64 bit machine so this file was located here: C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL10.SQLEXPRESS\MSSQL\Binn\sqlservr.exe

5) Set up inbound and outbound exceptions for sqlbrowser.exe. Again, I am running a 64 bit machine so the file was located here: C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft SQL Server\90\Shared\sqlbrowser.exe

6) Restart your machine.

Thanks again for the help!!
Win7Newb

Now in Windows 7 you have both Inbound and Outbond that's why you couldn't get it to work first time. Anyways Glad that you got it working

Good Luck,
Captain

I also want to remotely connect to sql server 2008. The external ip address I get from What Is My IP Address? Lookup IP, Hide IP, Change IP, Trace IP and more... When using sql server management studio to log in. I tried all sorts of combinations xx.xxx.xx.xxx\<Host Name>
external ip address followed by internal ip address from ipconfig/all
xx.xxx.xx.xxx\yyy.yyy.y.yyy
nothing seems to work, does anyone have an example how to do this?
Thanks