SQL Server Connection Tools

[ldoolitt]

Hey All,

I've been trying to connect to my SQL database using a desktop tool as opposed to the myLittleAdmin browser tool provided by discount. I can connect fine through the browser however when I used SQL Management Studio I kept getting this error:

A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 - Could not open a connection to SQL Server)

After a bit of reading I found out that I can't connect to a non express database using an express tool (I was using SSMS express). So I found another tool (TOAD) to connect through. I downloaded it and tried to connect but got the same error. Is there some system setting that forces connections to be express connections or something that I have to reset?

Thanks!

[wisemx]

Hi,
There are security settings on your system but as for the latest SQL Server Express 2008 editions, all free, they all can connect to your remote DASP SQL Server DB, even while attached to your local Express DBes.
I can record a Webcast for this if you need.
All the best,
Mark

[ldoolitt]

Hi,
There are security settings on your system but as for the latest SQL Server Express 2008 editions, all free, they all can connect to your remote DASP SQL Server DB, even while attached to your local Express DBes.
I can record a Webcast for this if you need.
All the best,
Mark

Hi Mark,

I don't think I need a full webcast (unless its really complicated) if you could just explain the process that would be super helpful. Thanks!

Luke

[raymondp]

You should be able to use SQL Server Management Studio Express to connect to our database server. The error message you are getting indicates two things.

1. You are using Named Pipes to connect to our server. Named Pipes are not suited over the Internet so make sure you are connecting using TCP.

2. Port 1433 is being blocked on your end or the server is not resolving to the correct IP address. Perform a traceroute to our SQL server and make sure that there are no drop packets. Perform a telnet test to our sql server and specify port 1433....

telnet [sql server] 1433

Make sure port 1433 is open on your end.

[ldoolitt]

You should be able to use SQL Server Management Studio Express to connect to our database server. The error message you are getting indicates two things.

1. You are using Named Pipes to connect to our server. Named Pipes are not suited over the Internet so make sure you are connecting using TCP.

2. Port 1433 is being blocked on your end or the server is not resolving to the correct IP address. Perform a traceroute to our SQL server and make sure that there are no drop packets. Perform a telnet test to our sql server and specify port 1433....

telnet [sql server] 1433

Make sure port 1433 is open on your end.

Hey Guys,

Thanks for your help. I omitted the 'tcp:' at the beginning of the server name. However now, when I put that in I get the following error:

A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections. (provider: TCP Provider, error: 0 - No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.)

Now referencing the 'no connection because the target actively refused it' rather than the 'named pipes' error.

[ldoolitt]

...
2. Port 1433 is being blocked on your end or the server is not resolving to the correct IP address. Perform a traceroute to our SQL server and make sure that there are no drop packets. Perform a telnet test to our sql server and specify port 1433....

telnet [sql server] 1433

Make sure port 1433 is open on your end.

So when I execute this: telnet [servername].discountasp.net 1433

I get an error 'could not open connection to this host on port 1433: connection failed.' Does that mean port 1433 is blocked or something? How can I resolve that?

EDIT: doing a ping [servername].discountasp.net returns a reply with no dropped packets.

[raymondp]

Yeah it does mean that port 1433 is being blocked on your end. Check your firewall and routers and make sure you are not blocking port 1433. You can also try port 14330. This is our alternative ports. If both ports are being blocked then I'm afraid you will not be able to connect to our server remotely using SSMS.

[ycwliberiao]

Hi Guys,

I am trying to add a database to my website in Visual Web Developer 2008 Express. I right clicked on the App_Data folder in Solution Explorer and clicked on Add New Item. Selected the SQL Database and clicked on add. Normally, this works for me, but now I am trying to do it but it is reading error. The errors reads likes this:

"Failed to generate a user instance of SQL Server due to failure in starting the process for the user instance. The connection will be closed".

Please tell me how to solve this problem. I have started SQL Browser and SQLExpress already and have configured SQL to accept remote connection.

[raymondp]

Are you trying to use a SQL Express database on our shared hosting platform? I'm afraid we do not support SQL Express on our shared hosting platform.

[ldoolitt]

Yeah it does mean that port 1433 is being blocked on your end. Check your firewall and routers and make sure you are not blocking port 1433. You can also try port 14330. This is our alternative ports. If both ports are being blocked then I'm afraid you will not be able to connect to our server remotely using SSMS.

Yep that was the issue. Thanks!