How to Configure SQL Server Port on Windows

SQL Server is a powerful relational database management system that allows you to store, manage and manipulate large amounts of data. It communicates over various ports to transmit data between the SQL Server and client applications. The default port used by SQL Server is TCP port 1433. However, it is possible to configure SQL Server to use a different port number. In this tutorial, you will learn how to configure SQL Server port on Windows.

Step 1: Identify the Current Port Number

Before you can change the SQL Server port number, you need to identify the current port number being used by SQL Server. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Open SQL Server Configuration Manager.
2. Expand SQL Server Network Configuration.
3. Select the instance of SQL Server that you want to configure.
4. Click on “Protocols for [Instance Name]”.
5. Right-click TCP/IP and select Properties.
6. Select the IP Addresses tab.
7. Scroll to the bottom to locate the section called “IPAll”.
8. The current port number is displayed under the “TCP Dynamic Ports” field. If this field is empty, it means SQL Server is listening on the default port (1433).

Step 2: Configure SQL Server Port

To configure SQL Server to use a specific port number, follow these steps:

1. Open SQL Server Configuration Manager.
2. Expand SQL Server Network Configuration.
3. Select the instance of SQL Server that you want to configure.
4. Click on “Protocols for [Instance Name]”.
5. Right-click TCP/IP and select Properties.
6. Select the IP Addresses tab.
7. Scroll down to the section called “IPAll”.
8. In the “TCP Port” field, enter the port number you want SQL Server to use.
9. Click OK to save the changes.

Note: If you want to configure SQL Server to listen on a specific IP address, you can modify the “TCP Dynamic Ports” and “TCP Port” fields under the corresponding IP address section.

Step 3: Restart SQL Server Service

After changing the SQL Server port number, you need to restart the SQL Server service for the changes to take effect. To do so, follow these steps:

1. Open the Services console.
2. Locate the SQL Server service you want to restart.
3. Right-click the service and select Restart.

Troubleshooting Tips

• If you are unable to connect to SQL Server after changing the port number, ensure that your client application is configured to use the correct port number.
• Make sure the SQL Server service is running and has not been blocked by a firewall.
• If you encounter any issues, check the SQL Server error logs for helpful information.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, you learned how to configure SQL Server port on Windows. It is recommended to only change the SQL Server port number if necessary and to choose a port number that is not already in use by another application. By following the steps outlined in this tutorial, you can easily configure SQL Server to use a specific port number.