Granting Access to a Program through the Firewall

This help file applies to an out-of-date version of MainBoss.
The most recent version of MainBoss is MainBoss 4.2.4.
This help file does not exist in MainBoss 4.2.4, but the index for that version can be found here.

< Previous section | Table of Contents | Index | Next section >

If you have commercial firewall software (typically part of an antivirus package), follow the software's instructions to let SQL Server and the SQL Server browser through the firewall (as discussed in the previous section). If you use the built-in Microsoft firewall, follow these steps.

On Windows 7, Windows Vista or Server 2008:

In the Control Panel, click Windows Firewall.

In the resulting window, click Change settings.

On Windows XP or Server 2003:

In the Control Panel, click Windows Firewall.

A window opens where you can make firewall adjustments. Go to the Exceptions section of this window.
Check in the list to see if sqlbrowser.exe and sqlservr.exe are already there and checkmarked. If so:

Double-click on sqlbrowser.exe. A window will open to show you the full pathname of the file. Check that the pathname refers to the SQL Server you will be using. (This is necessary in case you have multiple versions of SQL Server on your computer, or if the entry for sqlbrowser.exe refers to the software for some previous version of SQL Server.) If so, click OK to exit.

Repeat the above procedure for sqlservr.exe.

If sqlbrowser.exe and sqlservr.exe are both in the list, both checkmarked, and both refer to the correct programs, you're finished—click OK to exit.
If the correct files are in the list but not checkmarked, checkmark them then click OK to exit.
If one or both file names are missing, click Add Program.
In the resulting window, click Browse.
In the resulting window, find the name of the SQL Server executable file (see the previous section of this guide for how to find this name). Click the file name, then click Open.
You'll return to the previous window. Click OK. The file is added to the list.
Repeat steps 7-10 for the SQL Server browser. Click OK when you're done.

Scopes: Each program in the Windows Firewall list has an associated scope (unrelated to scopes in MainBoss). The scope may be any of the following:

Any computer, in which case the firewall lets the program be used by any computer anywhere (including those on the Internet).
My network, in which case the firewall only lets the program be used by computers in your local area network.
Custom list, in which case the firewall only lets the program be used by a specified list of computers (e.g. ones identified by IP number).

Most sites will wish to restrict MainBoss access to users on your local area network (My Network), not to users anywhere on the Internet. If you open up access to all Internet users, you must be sure that you've protected yourself with appropriate security measures.

Your usage requirements may change with time. For example, you may originally restrict MainBoss access to My network. Later on, you might decide that you want to be able to connect from outside sites (e.g. when working at home or at a remote job site), in which case you'll have to change your configuration.

To see the scope associated with a program (and possibly to change it), follow these steps:

Follow steps 1-3 listed earlier in this section.
In the Exceptions section of the firewall settings window, click the entry for sqlservr.exe.
Click Properties.
In the resulting window, click Change Scope.
In the resulting window, check the scope. If it isn't what you want, change the setting.
Click OK twice to return to the firewall settings window.
Repeat steps 2-6 for sqlbrowser.exe.

< Previous section | Table of Contents | Index | Next section >