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sql-serverconnectionfirewall

Cannot connect to SQL Server remotely: Network Interface Error 26


Today I tried to enable remote connections to a SQL Server that is physically located on a different country. I do have access to it through Remote Desktop, however I can't connect through my local SQL Server Management Studio client. I get a network error that states the server was not found or is not accessible (Network Interface Error 26).

I already tried the following:

  • Enabled the "Allow remote connections to this server" in SQL Server Management Studio
  • Made sure the SQL Server service was running
  • Made sure the correct server name was typed.
  • Enabled TCP/IP Protocols and Named Pipes in SQL Server Configuration Management (and established the port 1433 on TCP/IP Properties, because it was set to 56733)
  • Created a rule for the Windows Firewall to allow communication through port 1433 & service sqlserver.exe (both TCP and UDP, allowing connections from everywhere)
  • Restarted the service through SQL Server and Control Panel > Services screen

The server name has the structure ServerName\InstanceName and I can login with both SQL Server and Windows authentication.

Could someone please give me a hand with this?


Solution

  • If you have a named instance i.e. SERVER\INSTANCE, it's highly unlikely that it would have been on 1433. It would have been a dynamic port and using the SQL browser service.

    Was it still set to a dynamic port (i.e. the default)? If so, was 1434 allowed as well?

    Was anything else on 1433? (i.e. a default instance)?

    Have you tried connecting to the IP address, and port directly? i.e x.x.x.x,port