Configure a Firewall for SQL Server Access

Firewall systems prevent unauthorized access to computer resources. To access an instance of the Microsoft SQL Server Database Engine through a firewall, you must configure the firewall on the computer running SQL Server to allow access.

For general information about how SQL Server works with firewall systems, see Connecting to SQL Server over the Internet. There are many firewall systems available. For information specific to your system, see the firewall documentation.

Important:

Opening ports in your firewall can leave your server exposed to malicious attacks. Make sure that you understand firewall systems before you open ports. For more information, see Security Considerations for a SQL Server Installation.

The principal steps to allow access are:

Configure the Database Engine to use a specific TCP/IP port. The default instance of the Database Engine uses port 1433, but that can be changed. Instances of SQL Server 2005 Express Edition, SQL Server Compact Edition, and named instances of the Database Engine use dynamic ports. To configure these instances to use a specific port, see How to: Configure a Server to Listen on a Specific TCP Port (SQL Server Configuration Manager).

2.	Configure the firewall to allow access to that port for authorized users or computers.

Note:

The SQL Server Browser service lets users connect to instances of the Database Engine that are not listening on port 1433, without knowing the port number. To use SQL Server Browser, you must open UDP port 1434. To promote the most secure environment, leave the SQL Server Browser service stopped, and configure clients to connect using the port number.

Note:

By default, Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2 enables the Windows Firewall, which closes port 1433 to prevent Internet computers from connecting to a default instance of SQL Server on your computer. Connections to the default instance using TCP/IP are not possible unless you reopen port 1433. The basic steps to configure the Windows XP firewall are provided in the following procedures. For more information, see the Windows documentation.

Procedures

To open a port in the Windows firewall for TCP access

1.	In Control Panel, open Network Connections, right-click the active connection, and then click Properties.

2.	Click the Advanced tab, and then click Windows Firewall Settings.

3.	In the Windows Firewall dialog box, click the Exceptions tab, and then click Add Port.

4.	In the Add a Port dialog box, in the Name text box, type SQL Server <instance name>.

5.	In the Port number text box, type the port number of the instance of the Database Engine, such as 1433 for the default instance.

6.	Verify that TCP is selected, and then click OK.

7.	To open the port to expose the SQL Server Browser service, click Add Port, type SQL Server Browser in the Name text box, type 1434 in the Port Number text box, select UDP, and then click OK.

Note:

To allow named pipes access through the firewall, you must also enable File and Printer Sharing through the firewall.

8.	Close the Windows Firewall and the Properties dialog boxes.

Note:

Click Add Program in the Windows Firewall dialog box for additional options, such as granting access to specific programs and restricting access to certain IP addresses or network subnets. For more information, see the Windows documentation.

As an alternative to configuring SQL Server to listen on a fixed port and opening the port, you can list the SQL Server executable (Sqlservr.exe) as an exception to the blocked programs. Use this method when you want to continue to use dynamic ports. Only one instance of SQL Server can be accessed in this way.

To access a program through the Windows firewall

1.	In the Windows Firewall dialog box, on the Exceptions tab, click Add Program.

2.	Click Browse, and navigate to the instance of SQL Server that you wish to access through the firewall, and then click Open. By default SQL Server is at C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\Binn\Sqlservr.exe.

3.	Click OK twice to close the Windows firewall program.

For a brief tutorial about how to configure a static port, open the firewall, and connect to the Database Engine by using SQL Server Management Studio, see Getting Started with the Database Engine.