How to: Enable Network Access During Installation (SQL Server Express)

SQL Server Setup

When you install Microsoft SQL Server 2005 Express Edition (SQL Server Express), network protocols are disabled by default. You can enable protocols during installation or after the product is installed. You might also need to enable firewall settings.

To enable networking protocols

  • When running setup.exe from the command prompt, specify DisableNetworkProtocols = 0, as in the following example:

    Copy Code
    setup.exe /qn addlocal=all InstanceName=SQLEXPRESS DisableNetworkProtocols=0

To enable firewall settings

  1. Click Start, click Control Panel, and then click Network Connections.

  2. From the navigation bar on the left, click Change Windows Firewall settings.

  3. On the Exceptions tab, in the Programs and Services box, you will probably see that SQL Server is listed, but not selected as an exception. If you select the checkbox, Windows will open the 1433 port to let in TCP requests. Alternatively, if you do not see SQL Server listed, do the following:

    1. Click Add Program.
    2. Click Browse.
    3. Navigate to drive:/Program Files/Microsoft SQL Server/MSSQL.1\MSSQL\BINN
    4. Add the file sqlservr.exe to the list of exceptions.