How We Resolved Firewall Security Issues During QuickBooks User Networking

We do encounter challenges during networking and configuration of QuickBooks data file for multi-user access, but the problem of  wireless networking not strong enough or the firewall on the workstation preventing the user from accessing central data are more often and prominent.

Today, we were faced with an unusual firewall security challenge at a client’s office (a fast-growing private school with multiple locations). They use the Pro version of QuickBooks, which had already been cut off from automatic updates, and they requested an upgrade to Premier – a better version that accommodates a higher volume of transactions with up to five (5) allowable users.

After configuration of  a two (2) user system and a setup of the company file on a host server for shared access,  one of the systems blocked the file from accessing QuickBooks with the below summarized messages:

“The computer (host) server is configured to allow shared access but your system can’t open the file. This may be due to firewall configuration on your network.”

If you encounter issues like this during QuickBooks Desktop configuration, it means that your firewall blocks the networking access needed for the multiuser environment to work.

With our technical team on ground, we eventually configured the firewall security to allow QuickBooks desktop.

Here is how we manually fixed the issues:

Please note that we deployed QuickBooks Premier 2018 with the below steps. You can still replicate these steps for other versions like 2016, 2017, 2019 to current year’s releases.

Add Firewall port exception for QuickBooks:

If you’ll be using multiple year versions of QuickBooks Desktop, you need to perform the following for each year’s version.

1. From Windows OS, search bar open Windows Firewall
2. Select Advanced Settings
3. Right-click Inbound Rules. Then select New Rule
4. Select Port. Then select Next

1. Make sure TCP is selected. Enter the specific ports needed for your QuickBooks year version. Then select Next.

QuickBooks Desktop 2019: 8019, XXXXX. (XXXXX is the assigned port number found in QuickBooks Database Server Manager)
QuickBooks Desktop 2018: 8019, 56728, 55378-55382
QuickBooks Desktop 2017: 8019, 56727, 55373-55377
QuickBooks Desktop 2016: 8019, 56726, 55368-55372

1. Select Allow the Connection, select Next.
2. If prompted, make sure all profiles are marked. Select Next.
3. Give the rule a name, such as QBPorts(year). Select Finish.
4. Repeat the steps above for the Outbound Rules (for step 3, choose Outbound Rules instead of Inbound). Try opening QuickBooks Desktop again in multi-user mode or over your network to see if the issue has been resolved.

If you’re experiencing errors or problems with connectivity, make exceptions to programs QuickBooks uses in Windows Firewall.

Create Firewall exceptions for QuickBooks programs:

QuickBooks uses executable files to perform various functions. See the ‘Configure your anti-virus or firewall programs’ section for a list of executable files. Then perform the following steps for each file.

1. From the Windows search bar, enter then open Windows Firewall.
2. Select Advanced Settings.
3. Right-click Inbound Rules. Then select New Rule.
4. Select Program. Then select Next.
5. Select This Program Path. Select Browse.
6. Navigate the file location. Select Next.
7. Select Allow the Connection. Select Next.
8. If prompted, make sure all profiles are marked. Select Next.
9. Give the rule a name. Select Finish.
10. Repeat the steps above for the Outbound Rules (for step 3, choose Outbound Rules instead of Inbound).

Restart the computer and reconnect to the server or host computer for multi-user access; this should work.

If you need help on how to configure your system’s firewall security during QuickBooks desktop setup for multiuser, do connect with our client support Centre:

info@accountingsoftware.com.ng

bigresourcessolutions@gmail.com

+2318105090001, +2318084219399