Checking the port configuration for a SQL Server Instance

If you have an installation of SQL Server or SQL Server Express, by default, it should operate on port 1433.  However, what if the SQL Server instance configuration is not responding on that port? 

It might be possible that the SQL Server configuration was altered, the TCP/IP protocol might not be enabled or SQL Server might be using TCP Dynamic Ports.

Well, you can easily verify the configured port for SQL Server by following these steps:

1. Open up SQL Server Configuration Manager
2. Expand the SQL Native Client Configuration so that you can view the Client Protocols (for both 32-bit and 64-bit configurations)
3. Click on the Client Protocols
4. You should now be able to view the TCP/IP protocol
5. Make sure that the TCP/IP protocol is Enabled.  If it is not enabled, you will have to Enable it.  (This will require a restart of the SQL Server service).
6. Right click on the TCP/IP protocol and select Properties
7. Look at the value for "Default Port"
8. For any network connections that are not using the SQL Server Native Client, expand the section for SQL Server Network Configuration
9. Click on the section for "Protocols for MSSQLSERVER"
10. Make sure that the TCP/IP protocol is Enabled.  If it is not enabled, you will have to Enable it.  (This will require a restart of the SQL Server service).
11. Once again right click on the TCP/IP protocol and select Properties
12. However, this time, click on the IP Addresses tab.
13. Review all of the "TCP Port" values for all of the available IP Addresses.