ALMSys, Inc.

How to Configure SQL Express Over a Network

This will show you how to configure a workstation on your network to share a SQL Express installation. If you want assistance, please contact Support.

These instructions will use the Lading Manager software as an example on how to set this up.

Install SQL Express

Install SQL Express. On the Software menu on this site, there are instructions for installing SQL Express.  In this example, use LADINGMANAGER as the instance name. Also, go ahead and install and configure the Lading Manager software as provided in the instructions you were sent.

Set Up the SQL Express Logon and Password

To use Lading Manager on a server, you need to set up a logon and password within SQL Express. You will need to run the SQL Server Management Studio in order to do this. If it is not on your SQL Server menu, then you will need to download and install this from Microsoft. The instructions for setting up this logon and password were provided to you in the registration email that was sent when you ordered the network version of the software.

SQL Server Configuration Manager Settings

Run the SQL Server Configuration Manager. This should be on your SQL Server menu, and possibly under a Configuration Tools menu. Follow these steps:

  1. Expand the "SQL Server Network Configuration" menu.
  2. Click on "Protocols for LADINGMANAGER".
  3. On the right side, right-click on TCP/IP and enable it. You will get a warning message about stopping and starting the service. We'll get to that in a bit.
  4. Right-click again on TCP/IP and select Properties.
  5. Click on the IP Addresses tab.
  6. Scroll all of the way to the bottom, where you will find "IP ALL".
  7. After TCP Port, enter 49170.
  8. After TCP Dynamic Ports, wipe out anything there and leave it blank.
  9. Click the Apply button. You will probably get that warning message again.
  10. Close the TCP/IP property window.
  11. Under SQL Server Configuration Manager, click on SQL Server Services.
  12. On the right, right-click on SQL Server (LADINGMANAGER) and select Restart. That will stop and start the SQL Server service for the LADINGMANGER instance.
  13. Close out of the configuration manager.

Make the Server PC's IP Address Static

In order to get this configuration to work properly, the IP address on this "server" PC must be static. Find out what the IP address is as we will need it in a later step. For this example, we will assume that the IP address is 192.168.0.50.

Change the Firewall to Allow SQL Server

On the Control Panel, under Administrative Tools, get into Windows Firewall with Advanced Security.

  1. Click on Inbound Rules.
  2. Click New Rule.
  3. Select Port and click Next.
  4. Enter 49170 into the Specific Ports line.
  5. Click Next until you get to the screen that asks for a Name.
  6. Enter 49170 SQL Express LADINGMANAGER as the name.
  7. Click Finish.
  8. Close out of the firewall settings.

Alter the INI File

In the folder in which you installed the Lading Manager software, edit the LadiConnect.ini file. Alter it as follows:

  1. Change the ServerName= line to read: ServerName=192.168.0.50,49170\LADINGMANAGER
  2. If there is a Password= line, either delete it or type "xx" in front of it.
  3. Change the Network= line to read: Network=Yes
  4. Save and exit.

Set Up a Workstation

To ensure that you have access to the "server" PC from this workstation, get to a command prompt and type: ping 192.168.0.50 and press Enter. If it times out, then you need to alter your network so that you have access to the server PC.

Map a short-cut to the LadingManager.exe program that is within the server's LadingManager\Program folder.

That should do it. You should now be able to access Lading Manager over the network for a SQL Express installation.