SQL Server connection problems

[psepesi]

Hi,
I'm trying to connect to a sql server for a class of mine. I'm running access on the front end and msde on the back.
They told me I didn't need to install msde on my machine, but others said that I should. I'm running win xp and tried to install msde from office xp disk, and was having problems with that, so I installed msde from an w2000 cd. Got msde to run.
I tried to connect to a database at school and got this error: sql server either doesn't exist or access denied. I do have the corrent username and password, and the instructor insists it works. Many people are having trouble but not all have tried.
The instructor said to open up port 1433 on my firewall and I did that.
I installed and uninstalled msde from the xp disk several times, I don't know if some of the settings could be changed.
I have never connected from home though.
Do you have any suggestions of things I might try. I've spent so much time on this and I'm not sure where to turn now. No one has any ideas of what to do next.
May be you will have some tips that will help me.
Thanks,
Pam

 

[tlbroadbent]

Make sure port 1434 is open, also. Ports 1433 and 1434 should be open on the client and server firewalls. I assume they are open on the server side.

You don't need MSDE on the local computer in order to connect to a remote SQL Server. You do need MDAC. MDAC is installed with Windows XP. You can download the latest MDAC from Microsoft just to be sure.

http://msdn.microsoft.com/nhp/Default.asp?contentid=28001860

If you want to get the best answer for your question read faq183-874 and faq183-3179.
Terry L. Broadbent - DBA
SQL Server Page:

http://tlbroadbent.home.attbi.com/sql/sql_articles.htm

 

[psepesi]

Hi,
Thanks for your quick response. I went into my router and opened up port 1434 as well, I went to the mdac link and installed the mdac (I hope- Microsoft Data Access Components (MDAC) 2.7 Service Pack 1 for xp) The others didn't look like they were for xp. It was the first one listed.) How can I test or look to see if I indeed have mdac installed?
I opened up access, opened an existing project, named in the same as my team db on the server, but the corrent username and password in the data link properties dialogue box, and tested the connection and got this error again:
Test connection failed because of an error in initalizing provider. [DBNETLIB][ConnectionOpen(Connect()). SQL Server does not not exist or access denied.
We have cox cable here and I don't know if that has anything to do with it. One other person in the class said that she has cox cable and is having the same problem and went to her cousins house and could connect with the correct username and password. I guess she didn't have a network either.
Well do you have any other things that I can check for.....
check to see if mdac is installed correctly??
Thanks........