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SQL Server Express is not accessible over the network (via TCP/IP)

Practice



So, you installed Microsoft SQL Server Express and were just about to enjoy free MS SQL on a Windows machine (well, what can you do — unfortunately a lot of software only works with MS products), when you discovered that the server isn't visible over the network.

That is, SQL is accessible while you're on the server itself, but it just won't work over the network.

The catch here... well, maybe it's marketing, or maybe it's the crooked hands of the programmers who build the Express installer. The point is:
a) By default, TCP/IP network support is disabled in SQL Express.
b) By default, the SQL Server Browser service is disabled in SQL Express.

But let's fix this misunderstanding.

1) Open "SQL Server Configuration Manager" (via the "Start" menu and the corresponding item in the programs list).

2) Select "SQL Server Services" and double-click on "SQL Server Browser".

3) On the "Service" tab, set the "Start mode" option to "Automatic".

4) Save and start the "SQL Server Browser" service. This service is responsible for automatically redirecting SQL program connectors to the correct dynamic port of SQL Server Express.

5) Now go to "SQL Server Network Configuration" and select "Protocols for SQLEXPRESS" (the name may vary depending on what you named the instance).

6) Double-click to open "TCP/IP".

7) Set "Enabled" to "Yes" and "Listen All" to "Yes".

8) Go back to "SQL Server Services" and restart the "SQLEXPRESS" service (again, the name may be different depending on what you named the named instance).

That's it, the network works and SQL Server Express is accessible from the outside via TCP/IP.

PS. Pay close attention! The TCP/IP settings of the SQL server list all the IP addresses. But if you change the addresses on the Windows server, they won't automatically update in the SQL Server settings, and you may spend a long time wondering why the server suddenly stopped working over the network — it's because the SQL Server settings still have the old addresses.

Applies to: MS SQL Server Express 2005 and 2008

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