FreeTDS User Guide: A Guide to Installing, Configuring, and Running FreeTDS
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# Is the server there?

## Start with ping

First ping the host to make sure you can talk to the machine the server resides on.

Example 8-1. Finding the server's host

    $ ping -c1 myhost
    PING myhost (127.0.0.1) from 127.0.0.1 : 56(84) bytes of data.
    64 bytes from myhost (127.0.0.1): icmp_seq=0 ttl=255 time=250 usec

A successful ping shows that your network isn't preventing you from reaching the machine hosting the server.

## Test with telnet

Attempt to telnet to the port, to verify that the dataserver is listening.

Example 8-2. Finding the server

    $ telnet myhost 1433
    Trying 127.0.0.1...
    Connected to myhost.
    Escape character is '^]'.

If you get output as above, the dataserver is listening. If you get a 'Connection Refused' message, you're talking to the wrong host, wrong port, or the dataserver is down. [1]

## Test with tsql

tsql can be run in two ways, one which uses `freetds.conf` and one which connects directly using the host and port. First attempt a connection using host and port.

Example 8-3. Connecting to the server, bypassing `freetds.conf`

    $ cd src/apps
    $ TDSVER=7.0 ./tsql -H myhost -p 1433 -U user

If you receive a message of 'Login Failed.' then your connectivity is OK, but you have a authentication issue.

If you receive a message like

     Msg. No.: 18450 Severity: 14 State: 1 Login failed- User: loginid Reason: Not defined as a valid user of a trusted SQL Server connection

SQL Server is accepting only "domain" logins. This applies only to Microsoft SQL Server and you'll need to have your DBA verify that "server logins" are allowed, or use a domain login.

Finally, if you received a prompt, then try tsql using the dataserver name.

Example 8-4. Connecting to the server using `freetds.conf`

    $ ./tsql -S myserver -U user

If this fails, FreeTDS is either not finding your `freetds.conf` file, finding the wrong one, or there is an error in the file.

### Notes

[1] | To exit telnet: When connected, telnet's command mode may be entered by typing the telnet escape character (initially Ctrl-], as above). Once in command mode, telnet may be exited with the command quit.

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