Hi I'm getting the following error message when my users try to log into my website.

An error has occurred while establishing a connection to the server. When connecting to SQL Server 2005, this failure may be caused by the fact that under the default settings SQL Server does not allow remote connections. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 26 - Error Locating Server/Instance Specified)

I've read some of the documentation, telling me to make changes to SQL Server configuration, but I don't have access to this as it is hosted by a 3rd party - and they seem to think it has been done.

I'm using the membership in ASP.NET, but I haven't set anything special up in user roles or configuration files on my website. Am I missing something? It works perfectly on my development machine.

Thanks

Hi sterreyl,

If the host has configured it correctly, then the problem may be in the way you connect to the server. Maybe you're referring to something like (local)\SqlExpress??

How does your connection string look like? If you post it here, be sure to remove sensitive information like the username and password...

Imar
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Imar Spaanjaars
http://Imar.Spaanjaars.Com
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Beginning Dreamweaver MX / MX 2004
Want to be my colleague? Then check out this post.

Hi Imar, apologies it has taken me a while to reply, I've moved everything to a managed server now hoping to resolve the issue, and I'm still having the same problem!

The connection is (as per various websites):

<remove name="LocalSqlServer"/>

<add name="LocalSqlServer" connectionString="Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS;AttachDbFilename=&quot;C:\DIRE CTORY\ASPNETDB.MDF&quot;;Integrated Security=True;Connect Timeout=30;User Instance=True"
            providerName="System.Data.SqlClient" />

I've tried changing the remote settings in Surface Area Configuration, but I'm at a total loss on this one.

Any help is most appreciated.

Thanks Lee

Ok after much more searching I have found the correct connection string:

<connectionStrings>
    <clear />
    <add name="localSqlServer" connectionString="server=servername;user id=username;password=mypassword;database=databasen ame"/>
  </connectionStrings>

Thank you for the replies

Yeah, with a site on a production server, that's often how the connection string looks like. This:

Data Source=.\SQLEXPRESS

refers to a local SQL Server instance called SQLExpress. This is normally only the case on your development machine.

Glad it's working now.

Imar


---------------------------------------
Imar Spaanjaars
http://Imar.Spaanjaars.Com
Everyone is unique, except for me.
Author of ASP.NET 2.0 Instant Results and Beginning Dreamweaver MX / MX 2004
Want to be my colleague? Then check out this post.