Problem connecting to SQL Server over the internet

I have opened ports 1433 and 1434 on a SQL Server on our network to allow
our customers to receive a monthly subscription "key" for the software they
lease from us. Within an encrypted Stored Procedure I am using the
OPENDATASOURCE method with a connect string containing our IP address. It is
working on 90% of the sites. However some of the sites are receiving an
error:
Server: Msg 17, Level 16, State 1, Procedure PLSPSYS_ALTER_KEYSP_REMOTE,
Line 37
SQL Server does not exist or access denied.
On most of the servers where the procedure is WORKING, a peek at the
firewall configuration using Shields-Up service from Gibson Research shows
that ports 1433 and 1434 are in Stealth mode. But, as I said, the connection
is still operating just fine. All sites, including the ones that don't work,
have the TCP/IP protocol enabled in the Client Network Utility on Port 1433.
So I am at a loss to figure out why the Internet connection is not working
at some sites. Any ideas?
Also, is there another way that I can distribute the "key" without user
intervention using "back-end" programs or procedures? Is there a way to
connect and retieve data via port 80 which is usually left open for outbound
requests? Thanks in advance...I would make network traces at the problem site and either review the
firewall logs or
make simulataneous traces on the server. This sounds like a tcp issue not
a SQL issue.
Verify that the 3 way tcp handshake is completing. The login packet isn't
sent until this completes.
Thanks,
Kevin McDonnell
Microsoft Corporation
This posting is provided AS IS with no warranties, and confers no rights.|||Thank you both for your replies. I will make sure that the TCP issues are
resolved at the client sites before looking any further.
"John Kotuby" <jkotuby@.snet.net> wrote in message
news:undiWF%23TEHA.2028@.TK2MSFTNGP11.phx.gbl...
> I have opened ports 1433 and 1434 on a SQL Server on our network to allow
> our customers to receive a monthly subscription "key" for the software
they
> lease from us. Within an encrypted Stored Procedure I am using the
> OPENDATASOURCE method with a connect string containing our IP address. It
is
> working on 90% of the sites. However some of the sites are receiving an
> error:
> Server: Msg 17, Level 16, State 1, Procedure PLSPSYS_ALTER_KEYSP_REMOTE,
> Line 37
> SQL Server does not exist or access denied.
> On most of the servers where the procedure is WORKING, a peek at the
> firewall configuration using Shields-Up service from Gibson Research shows
> that ports 1433 and 1434 are in Stealth mode. But, as I said, the
connection
> is still operating just fine. All sites, including the ones that don't
work,
> have the TCP/IP protocol enabled in the Client Network Utility on Port
1433.
> So I am at a loss to figure out why the Internet connection is not working
> at some sites. Any ideas?
> Also, is there another way that I can distribute the "key" without user
> intervention using "back-end" programs or procedures? Is there a way to
> connect and retieve data via port 80 which is usually left open for
outbound
> requests? Thanks in advance...
>