How to configure SQL Express 2012 to accept remote connections

INTRODUCTION

Named SQL instances listen on dynamic ports. This is the function of the Sql Server Browser Service to inform the clients of the actual port. The Sql Browser listens on UDP 1434 and answers all client request with the port number the current instance is using. Sql Server Browser service is required for both TCP and named pipes protocols. SQL Server Browser is used by clients transparently and there is no need for special configuration.

To configure SQL Server 2012 Express to allow remote connections, you must complete these steps:

• Enable remote connections on the instance of SQL Server that you want to connect to from a remote computer.
• Configure SQL server to listen on static port
• Turn on the SQL Server Browser service.
• Configure the firewall to allow network traffic that is related to SQL Server and to the SQL Server Browser service.

Update 2015.05.11

If you want to use GPO to configure SQL server Standard or Enterprise to accept remote connections see my new post: How to use GPO to allow SQL 2012 accept remote connections

Enable remote connections on the instance of SQL Server that you want to connect to from a remote computer.

1. SQL Management Studio and right-click server name in the left pane and select Properties

Figure 1

2. Connections in the left pane and make sure that checkbox Allow remote connections to this server is selected as it is shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2

Configure SQL express server to listen on static port.

1. SQL Server Configuration Manager and click on “SQL Server Services” in the left pane.

Figure 3

2. SQL Server. Identify the port that that PID is listening on by typing this into a command prompt:

netstat -ano | find /i “PID-Number-Of-SQL-Server”. Based on the details shown in Figure 3 syntax is the following: netstat -ano | find /i “116”. The results are shown in Figure 4.

Figure 4

3. SQL Server Configuration Manager and click on SQL Server Network Configuration in the left pane and right-click TCP/IP protocol and select optionEnable.

Figure 5

Figure 6

5. netstat -ano | find /i “6524”. The results are shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7

6. SQL Server Configuration Manager and click on SQL Server Network Configuration in the left pane and right-click TCP/IP protocol and select option Properties. Goto IP Address tab and scroll-down to APAll section. Remove value for TCP Dynamic Ports (do not enter Zero 0 !!!) and enter the port 1433 for TCP Port.

Figure 8

7.  netstat -ano | find /i “3948”. The results are shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9

At this stage SQL Express is configured to listen on standard port 1433.

Turn on the SQL Server Browser service.

1. SQL Server Configuration Manager and click on “SQL Server Services” in the left pane, right-click SQL Server Browser service and select Properties.

Figure 10

2. Service tab and for Start Mode option change start type to Automatic.

Figure 11

Figure 12

Figure 13

Important note: According to SQL server hardening best practices the SQL Server Browser service should be disabled. This service, which typically isn’t required, responds to requests for SQL Server resources and redirects the caller to the correct port. Keeping the Browser service disabled will remove the redirector as an attack vector, helping to obscure the correct entry ways into your SQL Se

After that telnet from your local computer .

telnet 146.88.26.121 1433

Note: if tenet client is not not installed than please