provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 – Could not open a connection to SQL Server

Generally the Error

"provider: Named Pipes Provider, error: 40 – Could not open a connection to SQL Server" comes

When we cannot connect to the SQl Server. There are various reasons for this.


Possible Solutions:

1. Check Whether the SQL Server is running or not.
Because the trial to connect to the stopped server may also cause this problem.

2. Check the name of the SQl Server.
For example, if we try to connect to SQL server using .NET application, for some SQL Server, the name of the server "localhost" works, but for some server, we may need to mention "(local)".

3. Check Whether the SQL Browser Service is running

4. Check Whether the TCP/IP is enabled for SQL Server Configuration

* Expand SQL Server Configuration Manager
* Enable TCP/IP

5. Firewall Settings

You may need to add the port of Sql server to the Firewall if it is other than the default port(1433).

Go to Control Panel | Windows Firewall | Change Settings | Exceptions | Add Port

6. Enable the Remote Connection

Goto SQL Server Management Studio.
Right Click on Server node
Click On Properties
Check the Allow Remote connections to Server Check Box


7. Enable Named Pipes

- Open the "SQL Server Configuration Manager" (under Configuration Tools)
- Expand the "SQL Server 2005 Network Configuration"
- Select the "Protocols for "
- Set the Named Pipes To Enabled

8. Create Exception of Sqlbrowser.exe