Remote connection not working using MSSMSE

Im getting quite desperate and frustrated!! I have installed SQL 2005 Express successfully and can connect to it fine using Management Studio locally.

If I try and connect remotely using Management Studio Im getting the old Error 10061 : The machine actively refused the connection!

I have set it up exactly as per all documentation and help from the forums. Remote connections is on TCP and Named Pipes, I even have the firewall disabled.

Im running it on Windows Server 2003 Standard.

Any help would be really apriciated as i have tried everything!!!

Is SQL Server Browser Service started properly ?

HTH, Jens K. Suessmeyer.

http://www.sqlserver2005.de|||Yes I have the browser service running. Does it have any settings that need changing?|||

It would appear that the port is blocked or the server is not listening to 1433. I cant telnet to the port. How would I go about opening that up?

Cheers

|||If Browser is on and Firewall is off, your connection should work. Can you check your server's errorlog and make sure server is listening on some TCP port? One more you can check is to see if there is any outdated alias defined for yourserver\sqlexpress on your client machine? This could translate a connection string. Using Sql Server Configuration Manager and/or c:\windows\system32\cliconfg.exe to check alias.|||This is sqlexpress, most likely, it's not listening on 1433. Check your errorlog to find out which port it's listening on.|||

I checked the errorlog file and found this entry:

Server is listening on [ 'any' <ipv4> 1833].

Could that be anything?

P.S. Sorry, im totally new to SQL Server!

|||

The server is listening on port 1833, and it's normal. Try "telnet yourmachine 1833" and make you can connect to the port.

Sql browser should help you find the port number. If firewall is on, make sure UDP 1434 and TCP 1833 is unblocked. Did you check the alias?

|||Just in addition to Xinwei, the SQL Server browser will redirect request of clients to the appropiate port on SQL Server. In versions prior SQL 2k5 you had to know which port was held by an appropiate instance of SQL Server making your connecting string look like (as part of the server name) Servername\InstanceName,portnumber. But SQL Server Browser does something more for you, as from the

http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms165724.aspx

"When SQL Server 2000 and SQL Server 2005 clients request SQL Server resources, the client network library sends a UDP message to the server using port 1434. SQL Server Browser responds with the TCP/IP port or named pipe of the requested instance. The network library on the client application then completes the connection by sending a request to the server using the port or named pipe of the desired instance."

Look at this link which describes also how to configure the firewall on the server.

HTH, Jens K. Suessmeyer.

http://www.sqlserver2005.de|||

Xinwei: I can successfully telnet to port 1833 remotely.

In the configuration manager > SQL Native Client Configuration > Aliases - there is nothing. Is this the alias you mean?

Oh and those ports are unblocked.

Should I be able to telnet 1434?

Jens: I have check that link about setting up the firewall and it is setup exactly like this yet I still have the problem!! :(

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It's good that you can telnet to 1833. 1434 is UDP port, you cannot telnet to. Can you also try c:\windows\system32\cliconfg.exe to check the alias there, which is for MDAC. The alias you checked is for SNAC. I'm not sure which driver you are using, so I asked you to check both. By MSSMSE, do you mean MS Sql Managenet Studio or other app?

When you ping you servername, the IP was resolved correctly. right? Can you confirm SQL Browser is on and UDP port 1434 is in firewall exception? Thanks

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There is nothing in the ALIAS page of cliconfig! Is that correct?

Yes, Im trying to connect via Management Studio. SQL Browser is on and UDP port 1434 UDP is an exception.

I really appreciate you trying to help me as this is driving me crazy!!!!

By the way, this is a fresh installation of SQL Server Express 2005 on a fresh installation of Windows Server 2003 standard. Surely that should have gone real smooth!

|||I hope you were not confused. The alias should be checked in the client, while browser and firewall stuff should be done on the server. Can you try connect using IP address directly? and also type "xxx.xx.xx.xx, 1833" as the server name?|||

THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU.

Im in! I checked the client config util and there were 2 entries in there so i removed them! I then connected using xx.xx.xx.xx, 1833 as you suggested and i got straight in!!!!!!

That super thank you so much. But why do you think that is? Why do i have to specify the port 1833 like you said - i have never had that problem connecting to other servers?

|||Good to know it works. xx.xx.xx.xx, 1833 should work even if you do not remove the alias. Once you remove the alias, you should be able to connect the server using the servername without port number. SQL browser will help you find the port number 1833. If the port number is changed(1833 is dynamic port number), sql browser can still help you find the new port number.