Used it, not working.
Do I need to open some kind of a firewall thingy?
The Server name and Instance shows up in MSSMS when you connect to your database it looks like this.
So as you can see my Connection String would look like this:
Data Source=MANCOW2\SQLEXPRESS; Database=DairyCreme
I did not include Password or User Id because I am using windows authentication. However if your using mixed mode you can include those.
You need to ensure a few things are working first.
1. in MSSMS right click your server and choose properties then go to Connections and ensure Allow remote connections to this server is enabled.
2. Ensure the following services are active and running.
SQL Server Browser
SQL Server Agent
3. Go to run and type mmc and press enter to open the Microsoft management console. Go to File > Add new snapin and choose SQL Server Configuration manager
4. Expand the Native CLient 11.0 and click on Client Protocols and ensure TCP/IP is enabled.
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Is your firewall on? (on the server machine)
I’ll give you the details.
Server Computer Name: CuisinaServer
“Instance Name”: SambaPOS4 (Like the tutorial)
Database: SambaDataServer
Username: sa
Password: 1234
Not anymore, I switch it off
Can you ping the server from the ‘client machine’?
Read my threads above.
Thanks, but I can’t find the snap-in SQL Server Configuration Manager to add it, everything else is okay
Its usually near bottom of list just above Task Scheduler
What if I can’t find it 
If you still cant find it then try typing this in a search to find it on your computer.
SQLServerManager11.msc
What version of SQL Server Express are you using?
Can’t find it, yeeeeeey
It’s Microsoft SQL server 2012 11.0
Hey don’t kill me, that was in the tutorial
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It should be there but I recommend installing the newest version which is 2014. You probably used the outdated tutorial here is the newest one I wrote.
You can also just choose upgrade to upgrade 2012 to 2014
SQL EXpress 2016 will be out soon as well probably this year.
I recommend checking the services specifically SQL Server Browser if thats not running it will not work at all regardless if TCP/IP is enabled or not. Typically its enabled by default…
You should disable firewall on both server and client until you can get it connecting… once you get it connecting you can configure forwards to allow the firewall to skip the specific ports.
Which ports, I have my firewall disabled as other post I read said it was hard to open SQL ports as they were dynamic?
They are certainly not dynamic.
default port is 1433
You can find this information by looking at the TCP/IP properties from inside the MMC snapin mentioned above.
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Hmmm, fair enough, Samba is my first use of MSSQL but sure I read that elsewhere on the forum.
Nice one, want ideal having the firewall off 
Hi,
Just been trying this but must have missed something.
Checked port is 1433 and it is.
Added it to inbound rules as allow.
But cant connect, if turn of firewall it works…
Is it just the one port that needs opening?
EDIT:
You didnt specify a protocol but a google search said TCP, changed to all prococols and it seems to work…
A much better way. This shows you how to allow the SQL Server Executable instead of the ports. This method works with dynamic ports turned on.
http://greenwireit.com/blog/2013/05/15/microsoft-sql-server-express-windows-firewall-dynamically/
I should have explained more I was kind of tired. Dynamic ports is available but its not turned on by default… by default it uses port 1433 or 1434.
TCP protocol didnt seem to work, all protocols did…
It says about adding sql browser, is that needed or just server?