Please start any new threads on our new site at https://forums.sqlteam.com. We've got lots of great SQL Server experts to answer whatever question you can come up with.

 All Forums
 SQL Server 2005 Forums
 SQL Server Administration (2005)
 Problem with remote connections

Author  Topic 

OOT
Starting Member

6 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-01 : 12:48:41
I have been tasked (and yes, at this point it seems a task) with moving our database from MSDE to SQL Server 2005 Express. We are running this on a Windows 7 computer. I'm no database expert so have read all the tutorials that I could find. The d/b is running properly and the EMS GUI can connect on the local machine. On a Windows Vista Laptop I've got SQL Server Management Studio Express loaded. But I can not connect remotely to that Windows 7 machine with the SQL Server 2005 Express database.

Here are the settings I've used. If something is wrong could somebody please point out what I need to change. I have literally been working on this for 2 days (probably 10 hours total).

The d/b was installed to allow both Windows and SQL logins.
I changed the default InstanceName during installation to be: "MyCompanyNameDB"
We want to connect on a specific port (14499).

In SQL Server Configuration Manager, these are the settings:

  • Under SQL Server 2005 Services, both SQL Server (MyCompanyNameDB) and SQL Server Browser are running

  • Under Protocols for MyCompanyNameDB, Shared Memory, Named Pipes and TCP/IP are enabled

  • Under TCP/IP - Protocol, Enabled = Yes, Keep Alive = 30000, Listen All = No and No Delay = No

  • Under TCP/IP - IP Addresses, IP1 - IP12, all are Enabled and Active, all have TCP Dynamic Ports empty (not 0) and TCP Port empty. Under IPAll, TCP Dynamic Ports is empty (not 0) and TCP Port is 14499 (the port we want everyone to connect on)

  • Under SQL Native Client Configuration - Client Protocols, Shared Memory, TCP/IP and Named Pipes (in that order) are all Enabled

  • Under Client Protocols - TCP/IP, Default Port = 14499, Enabled = Yes, Keep Alive = 30000 and Keep Alive Interval = 1000


In SQL Server 2005 Surface Area Configuration, these are the settings:

  • Under Surface Area Configuration for Service and Connections - MyCompanyNameDB - Database Engine - Service, Service Name = MSSQL$MyCompanyNameDB, Display Name = SQL Server (MyCompanyNameDB), Startup Type = Automatic, Service Status = Running

  • Under Surface Area Configuration for Service and Connections - MyCompanyNameDB - Database Engine - Service, Local and Remote Connections is checked, Using both TCP/IP and Named Pipes is checked

  • Under SQL Server Browser - Service, Startup Type = Automatic, Service Status = Running

I added the rules to the firewall to allow SQL Server and SQL Server Browser to both be allowed. That still didn't work. Right now I have the Firewall turned off (private and public). At least I think I do ... I'm new to 7. I have checked Turn Off Windows Firewall for both so I think it's off.

But I still can't connect from my laptop to the server. Every time I made a change I restarted the SQL Server. With MSDE it was so easy (EnableNetworkProtocols = 0 and change default port using svrnetcn). But with 2005 I am completely lost on what I'm doing wrong or what I have forgotten to change.

Any idea's, suggestions, examples, help, etc is greatly appreciated.

jleitao
Posting Yak Master

100 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-01 : 12:55:00
i'm not a expert but i know that exists a "allow remote connection to this server" propreties that i dont see in your post. It is enable?

In management studio. Right click on the server name -> properties -> connections
Go to Top of Page

OOT
Starting Member

6 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-01 : 12:59:56
quote:
Originally posted by jleitao

i'm not a expert but i know that exists a "allow remote connection to this server" propreties that i dont see in your post. It is enable?

In management studio. Right click on the server name -> properties -> connections


I don't have Management Studio on that computer. The 2005 Management studio doesn't load on Windows 7. The 2008 version wants to install SQL Server 2008. If there is another version that doesn't require SQL Server 2008 to be installed I haven't been able to find it. Is there another way of doing that without using Management Studio? I'll start looking again for a download of only Management Studio in the meantime.
Go to Top of Page

OOT
Starting Member

6 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-02 : 22:08:53
OK. I finally found the correct program to download from MS. I installed the 2008 SQL Server Management Studio. Once installed, I went to the connections for the database and it has it listed as accepting remote connections. So it appears that part is correctly configured.

Can anyone see anything in the other settings listed above that would be causing this problem. I can't understand the problem unless there is something with the firewall that is still running (even though both settings say it is off).

Any other suggestions or ideas? Anything? All help is appreciated.
Go to Top of Page

russell
Pyro-ma-ni-yak

5072 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-02 : 22:43:16
You say you changed the default instance name...this doesn't sound right. Default instance will have the name of the computer. Sounds like you created a named instance.

This means that you connect to it as machineName\instanceName. Come to think of it, isn't all SQL Express installations named instances? I could be wrong here as I use EE and SE not Express.

Please tell us exactly what error message you receive when you try to connect remotely?

And how are you connecting?

I'd like to see the answers to that 1st, but if it is an alias problem, try using cliconfg.exe instead of SQL Configuration Manager.
Go to Top of Page

OOT
Starting Member

6 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-03 : 20:41:24
quote:
Originally posted by russell

You say you changed the default instance name...this doesn't sound right. Default instance will have the name of the computer. Sounds like you created a named instance.

This means that you connect to it as machineName\instanceName. Come to think of it, isn't all SQL Express installations named instances? I could be wrong here as I use EE and SE not Express.

You are correct. I did create an named instance. The default name was SQLExpress (I think). I changed it to MyCompanyNameDB. I also put the IPAll port set to 14499.

quote:
Please tell us exactly what error message you receive when you try to connect remotely?

This is the error message I'm getting:
quote:
A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: TCP Provider, error: 0 - No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.) (Microsoft SQL Server, Error 10061)

I've tried finding help using the error number but they all say go through the things I did when I initially set it up. Maybe I missed something???

quote:
Originally posted by russell
And how are you connecting?

I'd like to see the answers to that 1st, but if it is an alias problem, try using cliconfg.exe instead of SQL Configuration Manager.


I attempting to connect from my house using using SQL Server Management Studio 2008. I also installed that on the machine at the office to make sure that it was setup to allow remote connections. I'm using the IP Address\MyCompanyNameDB, 14499, user: sa and the password. That error above is what I get. If I remove the ,14499 I get the same error.

I'm pretty sure that it has to be something with the SQL Server because I *believe* I've got the firewall totally turned off. Not sure what else would be denying the connection. Here's the firewall screenshot:


I don't believe I'm using an alias as I haven't set one up (that I know of).

Does that help any more?
Go to Top of Page

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-03 : 20:58:26
Do a quick telnet test:
telnet ServerName PortNumber

Run that from the client and direct it to the database. If it errors, then something on the server is preventing the connection.

Tara Kizer
Microsoft MVP for Windows Server System - SQL Server
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/tarad/

Subscribe to my blog
Go to Top of Page

OOT
Starting Member

6 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-04 : 11:58:54
quote:
Originally posted by tkizer

Do a quick telnet test:
telnet ServerName PortNumber

Run that from the client and direct it to the database. If it errors, then something on the server is preventing the connection.

Tara Kizer
Microsoft MVP for Windows Server System - SQL Server
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/tarad/

Subscribe to my blog



OK. That failed also. If I specified a port it said "Could not open a connection to the host, on port 14499." If I didn't specify the port it said the same thing but port 23. So it looks like it's something on Windows 7 and hopefully not the SQL Server. Back to the work computer.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll keep looking and if I find anything I'll post it here in case anyone else ever has an issue like this.
Go to Top of Page

tkizer
Almighty SQL Goddess

38200 Posts

Posted - 2010-10-04 : 12:58:30
Ensure that 14499 is the actual port SQL is listening on by checking the SQL Server Error Log. Scroll down to the bottom of the current log and then scroll up a little to see the listening port(s).

Tara Kizer
Microsoft MVP for Windows Server System - SQL Server
http://weblogs.sqlteam.com/tarad/

Subscribe to my blog
Go to Top of Page
   

- Advertisement -