Client Network Utility: Configure MSDE protocols

The Client Network Utility is a configuration tool that tells ADO which network protocols to use when connecting to SQL Server and MSDE. The utility can be very useful especially if the network connectivity is limited to certain protocols, like TCP/IP when connecting to the Internet.

SQL Server installation, creates a shortcut for the Client Network Utility in the Microsoft SQL Server group in the Start menu. The MSDE installation on the other hand, does not create the shortcut leading many to believe that the Client Network Utility does not ship with MSDE. As a matter of fact, The utility is part of the Microsoft Data Access Components that ship with Windows and can be downloaded from the Microsoft Website.

You can use The Client Network Utility to configure the protocols you wish to support. You can also create aliases that can act like server names. All aliases created in the Client Network Utility can be accessed like any other server name.

To open the Client Network Utility:

Click on Start->Run and type cliconfg.exe then click OK.

If you have an earlier MDAC version, you can download MDAC 2.8 directly from Mirosoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=6c050fe3-c795-4b7d-b037-185d0506396c&DisplayLang=en