Server network configuration tasks include enabling protocols, modifying the port or pipe used by a protocol, configuring encryption, configuring the SQL Server Browser service, exposing or hiding the SQL Server Database Engine on the network, and registering the Server Principal Name. Most of the time, you do not have to change the server network configuration. Only reconfigure the server network protocols if special network requirements.
Network configuration for SQL Server is done using SQL Server Configuration Manager. For earlier versions of SQL Server, use the Server Network Utility that ships with those products.
Protocols
Use SQL Server Configuration Manager to enable or disable the protocols used by SQL Server, and to configure the options available for the protocols. More than one protocol can be enabled. You must enable all protocols that you want clients to use. All protocols have equal access to the server. For information about which protocols you should use, see Enable or Disable a Server Network Protocol and Default SQL Server Network Protocol Configuration.
Changing a Port
You can configure the TCP/IP protocol to listen on a designated port. By default, the default instance of the Database Engine listens on TCP port 1433. Named instances of the Database Engine and SQL Server Compact are configured for dynamic ports. This means they select an available port when the SQL Server service is started. The SQL Server Browser service helps clients identify the port when they connect.
When configured for dynamic ports, the port used by SQL Server may change each time it is started. When connecting to SQL Server through a firewall, you must open the port used by SQL Server. Configure SQL Server to use a specific port, so you can configure the firewall to allow communication to the server. For more information, see Configure a Server to Listen on a Specific TCP Port (SQL Server Configuration Manager).
