QuickBooks Error “Cannot communicate with the company file due to firewall”

What is Cannot communicate with the company file due to a firewall?
QuickBooks cannot access the company file or establish a connection with it, which occurs for a variety of reasons. It happens when a Firewall blocks incoming/outgoing communication to a file by interrupting the Internet connection. To fix the error, users need to download and execute QuickBooks File Doctor, formerly known as QuickBooks Connection Diagnostic Tool.

Error: QuickBooks Cannot Communicate with the Company File
Error message: “It appears that the QuickBooks software on this computer is set up to allow shared access to the company file, but the QuickBooks software on your computer is unable to communicate with it”.

Unable to open the QuickBooks company file when you need it the most can be really annoying, especially when you get an unwanted error message like QuickBooks Pro 2014 Error “Cannot communicate with the company file due to firewall.”

An error about which you don’t know at all can be really frustrating and put a halt on your business activities, which you certainly cant afford. So in order to help you use QuickBooks without any difficulty, here in this article we will tell you more about the error and how you can fix it.

QuickBooks Pro 2014 Error “Cannot communicate with the company file due to firewall” generally occurs while opening a company file and can occur because of the following reasons:

• There is a weak connection to the server
• The connection is not set up properly
• The QuickBooks Data Base Server Manager is unable to run on the server
• There is a firewall installed on the network

Error Name:	Pro 2014 Error
Error Description:	It appears that the QuickBooks software on this computer is set up to allow shared access to the company file, but the QuickBooks software on your computer is unable to communicate with it.
Developer:	Intuit Inc.
Software:	QuickBooks
Applies to:	Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8
Cause:	The connection is not set up properly, The QuickBooks Data Base Server Manager is unable to run on the server
Symptoms:	QuickBooks Desktop won’t respond or work, Windows operating system got frozen
Solution:	Use the QuickBooks File Doctor, Manual network troubleshooting

The solution to fix QuickBooks Pro 2014 Error “Cannot communicate with the company file due to firewall”

To get rid of the above-mentioned error, there are several solutions that you can easily follow:

Solution 1: Use the QuickBooks File Doctor

• Download the QuickBooks File Doctor.
• Now install and then run the tool.
• In case you are unable to use the File Doctor or if the error continues even after using the tool then it is suggested to try the next solution.

Solution 2: Manual network troubleshooting

Step A: Update to the latest release

Go to the Update to the Latest Release page.

Step B: Configure QuickBooks files for firewall or security software

• Go to the Firewall and Internet security to search for required updates and network access page.
• Now follow the instructions from your firewall official web site.  Configure firewall to allow Internet access to the QuickBooks files.

However, in case your firewall or other security software has been configured and you still continue receiving the error then continue to step 3.

Step C: Check permissions in order to access the company file

1. To share company files web page, set up folder permissions.
2. In case you need to set permissions for QuickBooks then go to Set Windows access permissions for sharing the company files page for directions.
3. In case, even after setting permissions to access the company file or folder correctly, the problem persists, do the step 4.

Step D: Scan the company files

• Click on the Windows Start button then select Programs.
• After that choose QuickBooks and then go to QuickBooks Database Server Manager.
• Click on Add Folder by going to the QuickBooks Database Server Manager window. Now go to the folders having the company files.
• Once all the folders are added, click on Scan. Now the data files will appear under. Click on Close.
• Now browse to the folders having the company files. Ensure the file .qbw.nd was created for all the company data files.
• Now verify hosting on your computers

Computer Workstations: 

• Open QuickBooks
• Choose File and click on Utilities.
• Now if you see Host Multi-User Access on the list and this computer is not hosting the company file, go to the next system
• In case you see Stop Hosting Multi-User Access, choose that option.
  1. Click Yes on the Stop hosting multi-user access window.
  2. Now in the Company file must be closed window, select Yes for continuing. Now go on to the next computer.

Server:

• Right-click on the Windows Task bar.
• Select Task Manager.
• Now in the Image Name column, look out for QBDBMgrN.exe.
• However, if you don’t see QBDBMgrN.exe, ensure that the QuickBooksXX service is on the computer and is running.
  1. Log in as a full administrator.
  2. Now go to the Windows Start button. From there choose Run.
  3. After that, in the Open field, enter services.msc. Then click on OK.
  4. Now look out for:
     • QuickBooks Desktop 2017: QuickBooksDB27
     • QuickBooks Desktop 2016: QuickBooksDB26
     • QuickBooks Desktop 2015: QuickBooksDB25
     • QuickBooks Desktop 2014: QuickBooksDB24
  5. Ensure that the startup type is Automatic. Also make sure that the service is currently started.
     • However, if the service is not started then in that case right-click on it and select Start.
     • And if the startup type is not Automatic, for that double-click on the service. Now from the Startup type drop-down, choose Automatic.
• In the QBDBMgrN.exe row, ensure that the input in the User Name column is absolutely right.
• QuickBooks Desktop 2017: QBDataServiceUser27
• QuickBooks Desktop 2016:QBDataServiceUser26
• QuickBooks Desktop 2015: QBDataServiceUser25
• QuickBooks Desktop2014: QBDataServiceUser24

If you get stuck anywhere in the process, feel free to get in touch with AccountingErrors QuickBooks Technical Support Team, Which is available 24/7 on 📞.

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