Hello and welcome to our comprehensive guide on how to allow remote connections on SQL Server. If you are trying to connect to SQL Server remotely, you might have encountered the error “Cannot connect to [Server Name]. 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.”
This error is usually caused by SQL Server not being configured to allow remote connections. In this article, we will take you through the steps you need to follow to enable remote connections on your SQL Server. We will also address some frequently asked questions about SQL Server remote connections.
Step-by-Step Guide on Enabling Remote Connections
The following are the steps you need to follow to allow remote connections on SQL Server:
Step 1: Enable Remote Connections
The first step is to enable remote connections on SQL Server. By default, remote connections are not allowed on SQL Server. To enable remote connections, follow these steps:
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Open SQL Server Management Studio | Open SQL Server Management Studio on the server where SQL Server is installed. |
| Connect to SQL Server | Connect to SQL Server using Windows Authentication. |
| Open Server Properties | Right-click on the server name and select Properties. |
| Enable Remote Connections | Select the Connections tab and check the box next to “Allow remote connections to this server”. |
| Restart SQL Server | Click OK to save the changes and restart SQL Server. |
Step 2: Enable SQL Server Browser Service
The SQL Server Browser Service listens for incoming connections to named instances of SQL Server and provides the client with the TCP/IP port number that corresponds to that named instance. To enable the SQL Server Browser service, follow these steps:
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Open SQL Server Configuration Manager | Open SQL Server Configuration Manager. |
| Start SQL Server Browser Service | Click on SQL Server Services and start the SQL Server Browser service. |
| Restart SQL Server | Restart SQL Server to apply the changes. |
Step 3: Configure Firewall
If Windows Firewall is enabled on the server, you need to configure it to allow incoming connections to SQL Server. To configure Windows Firewall, follow these steps:
| Action | Details |
|---|---|
| Open Windows Firewall with Advanced Security | Open Windows Firewall with Advanced Security. |
| Create New Inbound Rule | Click on Inbound Rules and then click on New Rule. |
| Select Port | Select the option “Port” and click Next. |
| Configure Port | Enter the port number for SQL Server (default is 1433) and click Next. |
| Select Allow the Connection | Select the option “Allow the connection” and click Next. |
| Configure Profile | Select the profile for which you want to allow the connection and click Next. |
| Name and Save Rule | Enter a name for the rule and click Finish. |
FAQs
1. What is SQL Server?
SQL Server is a Relational Database Management System (RDBMS) developed by Microsoft. It is used to store and retrieve data from databases.
2. Why can’t I connect to SQL Server remotely?
You might not be able to connect to SQL Server remotely if remote connections are not enabled on SQL Server. This is the most common cause of this error. Other possible causes include incorrect server name or instance name, firewall blocking incoming connections, and SQL Server Browser service not running.
3. How do I know if SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections?
You can check whether remote connections are enabled on SQL Server by checking the “Allow remote connections to this server” box on the Connections tab in Server Properties.
4. What is the default port number for SQL Server?
The default port number for SQL Server is 1433.
5. How do I troubleshoot SQL Server remote connection issues?
You can troubleshoot SQL Server remote connection issues by checking whether remote connections are enabled on SQL Server, checking the server name and instance name, checking the firewall settings, and checking the SQL Server Browser service.
That’s it for our guide on how to enable remote connections on SQL Server. We hope that this article has been helpful to you. If you have any further questions or need assistance with SQL Server, feel free to contact us.