Cannot Connect to SQL Server Express from Ssms

Cannot connect to SQL Server express from SSMS

Use . or (local) or localhost for server name if you installed the server as default instance.

Use .\sqlexpress or localhost\sqlexpress if you have SQL Express.

The server name syntax is

Servername\InstanceName

If the instance is default you use just Servername.

For SQL Express, instance name is sqlexpress by default.

Unable To Connect to SQL Server Express Database from One PC To Another

By default SQL Express doesn't have TCP/IP enabled, and by default listens on a dynamic port when it is enabled. You can use SQL Server Configuration Manager to both enable TCP/IP and disable dynamic ports and configure SQL Server to listen on port 1433.

And once you do you can connect with just the hostname. No port number or \SQLEXPRESS required.

Cannot connect to local SQL Server with Management Studio

Check the sql log in the LOG directory of your instance - see if anything is going on there. You'll need to stop the service to open the log - or restart and you can read the old one - named with .1 on the end.

With the error you're getting, you need to enable TCP/IP or Named pipes for named connections. Shared memory connection should work, but you seem to not be using that. Are you trying to connect through SSMS?

In my log I see entries like this...

Server local connection provider is ready to accept connection on [\\.\pipe\mssql$sqlexpress\sql\query ]

As the comments said, .\SQLEXPRESS should work. Also worstationName\SQLEXPRESS will work.

Cannot connect to MSSQL server management studio as localhost

In an attempt to get all the answers in one spot (and hopefully help a future searcher), you can connect to the SQL box that SQL Management Studio is installed on by changing the Server name: in the connection dialog

to one of the following:

• (localdb)\MSSQLLocalDB
• .
• 127.0.0.1 - by direct IP address, this is your loopback IP
• The actual IP address of the machine
• The name of the machine you are on, several ways to figure this out. https://www.cnet.com/how-to/find-out-your-computers-name-and-windows-edition-in-two-clicks/
• The named instance of SQL you have locally installed, in this case: .\SQLEXPRESS
• The machine name and the SQL instance like: YOURCOMPUTERNAME\SQLEXPRESS2017
• LOCALHOST

SSMS - Unable to connect to SQL Server 2017 Express on Azure VM using SSMS on local computer

I have been having the same problem and here is what worked for me. Check to make sure the Port value in configuration is not empty. When I added it, I was able to connect. See attached screen shot.

enter image description here

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