How To Remotely Connect To SQL Express Using SQL Authentification Across A LAN.

I hope helps some folks. I hope the links come through okay.
Keywords: Help, Network, KB910437, SQL Express, Network, TCP/IP, User,



SQL Server Express Networking

After a long period of trial and error I finally figured out how to connect to SQL Server Express 2005 using SQL Authentication across an XP network. It required several rather involved several steps to do this. I wrote this document just in case I forgot what I did so that I could repair or re-create my network login(s).

I will try to summarize the steps and include some HELP links to the web pages or my local €œSQL Books On Line€? pages that pointed me in the correct directions. The final piece to my puzzle was found here on the MSDN forums. Some links are better than others, while others may appear not to apply, so always check for links at the bottom of pages. Some were the best I could find after the fact, and not my original pages. Others were actually better, and may seem to be redundant. It€™s a work in progress.

I left out many routine or obvious steps like telling you when to click OK. If you need to be told when, you have no business even considering trying this. Good Luck!


PREREQUISITES:

1. You must have an instance of SQL Express installed and running.
2. You must have the SQL Browser service running.
3. You must have SQL Management Studio Express, SMSE, installed on your Server and to be able to log in as an administrator using Windows Authentification. Be familiar with Object Explorer under SMSE.
4. You must have SQL Server Surface Area Configuration properly installed.
5. You must have a functioning LAN, such as a Windows Workgroup.
6. You need a second computer on your LAN running SMSE Tools for testing.
7. You need a strong knowledge of how to use Control Panel.
8. You need to have KB910437 properly installed despite what this might say, although a neat diagnostic command is documented to verify your install.


SUMMARY:


You must enable SQL Networking
You must configure SQL TCP/IP for the server instance.
You must configure the server instance to use UDP Port 1433.
You must enable a UDP port in your Windows Firewall for that server instance.
Test the ability to remote log in using Windows Authentification using SMSE.
You must create a Windows User account for SQL.
You must create a SQL User login Auditing for that Windows User account.
You must grant Permissions to do things for that SQL login.
Now you can try to Log In across a network.


DETAILS:


SQL Networking must be setup by using the SQL Configuration Manager, SCM.

The default installation leaves networking disabled.
Select and use the TCP/IP protocol.
Re-Start the SQL Server service.
Using the SQL Server Surface Area Configuration Manager you must enable TCP/IP.

Select €œServices and Connections€?.
Choose your server instance and then select €œRemote Connections€?.
Choose €œLocal and Remote€?, then €œUsing TCP/IP Only€?.
Re-Start the SQL Server service.
The server needs a means to talk to the outside world. Use SCM.

Setup your IP address by right clicking on the TCP/IP protocol
Choose €œProperties€?.
On the €œProtocol€? tab leave the default settings, (Yes, 30000, Yes, No).
Select the €œIP Address€? tab.
Configure €œIP1€?, (Yes, Yes, enter your IP address, 0, blank).
Configure €œIP All. Leave the default alone.
Enter €œ1433€? on the second line.
Re-Start the SQL Server service.
The server needs to unlock the door to the outside world.

Open Control Panel and select Windows Firewall.
Click the €œExceptions€? tab and click on €œAdd Port€¦€?.
For €œName€?, enter the name of the server instance.
For €œPort Number€?, the same port as Step 3, 1433.
Test to see if Windows log in works before enabling SQL Authentification.

Using the SMSE, select the €œConnect€? icon in Object Explorer.
Accept all defaults and see if it works.
The server needs Windows user accounts setup.

Set up a generic user account for SQL remote users.
I suggest setting up an account for administrators to use.
I suggest setting up an account for general users to use.
SQL needs to add Windows users to SQL Logins.

Convert a windows user login to a SQL login manually or automatically.
The user needs to be assigned tasks that he is permitted to perform.

Grant the user limited access, or just enough.
Assign generic logins to groups, and then assign permissions to the groups.
Use the pre-defined groups. By assigning users to groups.
Test to see if SQL Authentification works locally, then remotely.

Using the SMSE, select the €œConnect€? icon in Object Explorer.