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Windows Firewall: Allowing Inbound Connections

Stephen West has a post on creating Windows firewall rules to allow inbound traffic for a SQL Server instance:

For Static Port:

  • Go to Start>Run and type WF.msc and then click on OK button

  • Under the Windows Firewall with Advanced Security, right-click on Inbound Rules, and then click on New Rule

  • In the Rule Type box, select the option Port, and then click on Next button

  • In the dialog box of Port, select the option TCP. Then, select the option Specific local ports, after that type the port number 1433 for the static instance. After that click on Next button

  • Select Allow the action under the Action dialog box and then click on Next button

  • Now, Under the Profile dialog box, select any profiles which you want to connect to the SQL server, and then click on Next button

  • Type a name and description of the rule, in the Name dialog box and then click on Finish button

Read on for dynamic ports.  I feel like I need to throw out all kinds of warnings about not exposing a SQL Server instance directly to the public internet.