I have sql server express 2012 installed on windows 2008, locally everything works just fine i can connect via tcpip and named pipes. Remotely i can connect with ssms only using named pipes. I have tried disabling the firewall on both sides to eliminate blocking traffic. i have toggled the tcpip setting on and off (i read somewhere that they got it working just but flipping them off and back on). I have double/triple checked all the settings that i'm aware of and everything seems to be correct. Tcp is enabled Tcp port is set to 1433, udp port is set to 1434 Server has static ip Start up log says: Server is listening on [ 'any' 1433]. Firewall rules are in place Any suggestions on things that i can look into? i have really just run out of ideas.