| title | Sign in to SQL Server | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| description | Find out about different ways of signing in to an instance of SQL Server. Learn which format to use for the server name in various environments. | ||||||||||
| author | rwestMSFT | ||||||||||
| ms.author | randolphwest | ||||||||||
| ms.date | 06/05/2025 | ||||||||||
| ms.service | sql | ||||||||||
| ms.subservice | configuration | ||||||||||
| ms.topic | conceptual | ||||||||||
| helpviewer_keywords |
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[!INCLUDE SQL Server]
You can sign in to an instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] by using any of the graphical administration tools or from a command prompt.
When you sign in to an instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] by using a graphical administration tool such as [!INCLUDE ssManStudioFull], you're prompted to supply the server name, a [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] login, and a password, if necessary. If you sign in to [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] using Windows Authentication, you don't have to provide a SQL Server login each time you access an instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion]. Instead, [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] uses your Windows account to log you in automatically.
If [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] is running in mixed mode authentication ([!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] and Windows Authentication Mode), and you choose to sign in using [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Authentication, you must provide a [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] login and password. When possible, use Windows Authentication.
If you installed [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] with a case-sensitive collation, your [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] login is also case sensitive.
When connecting to an instance of the [!INCLUDE ssDE], you must specify the name of the instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion]. If the instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] is the default instance (an unnamed instance), then specify the name of the computer where [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] is installed, or the IP address of the computer. If the instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] is a named instance (such as SQLEXPRESS), then specify the name of the computer where [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] is installed, or the IP address of the computer, and add a slash and the instance name.
The following examples connect to an instance of [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] running on a computer named APPHOST. When you specify a named instance, the examples use an instance name SQLEXPRESS.
| Type of instance | Entry for the server name |
|---|---|
| Connection to a default instance using the default protocol. | APPHOST |
| Connection to a named instance using the default protocol. | APPHOST\SQLEXPRESS |
| Connection to a default instance on the same computer using a period to indicate that the instance is running on the local computer. | . |
| Connection to a named instance on the same computer using a period to indicate that the instance is running on the local computer. | .\SQLEXPRESS |
| Connection to a default instance on the same computer using localhost to indicate that the instance is running on the local computer. | localhost |
| Connection to a named instance on the same computer using localhost to indicate that the instance is running on the local computer. | localhost\SQLEXPRESS |
| Connection to a default instance on the same computer using (local) to indicate that the instance is running on the local computer. | (local) |
| Connection to a named instance on the same computer using (local) to indicate that the instance is running on the local computer. | (local)\SQLEXPRESS |
| Connection to a default instance on the same computer forcing a shared memory connection. | lpc:APPHOST |
| Connection to a named instance on the same computer forcing a shared memory connection. | lpc:APPHOST\SQLEXPRESS |
| Connection to a default instance listening on TCP address 192.168.17.28 using an IP address. | 192.168.17.28 |
| Connection to a named instance listening on TCP address 192.168.17.28 using an IP address. | 192.168.17.28\SQLEXPRESS |
| Connection to a default instance that isn't listening on the default TCP port, by specifying the port that is being used, in this case 2828. (Specifying a port number isn't necessary if the [!INCLUDE ssDE] is listening on the default port (1433).) | APPHOST,2828 |
| Connection to a named instance on a designated TCP port, in this case 2828. (Specifying a port number is often necessary if the [!INCLUDE ssNoVersion] Browser service isn't running on the host computer.) | APPHOST,2828 |
| Connection to a default instance that isn't listening on the default TCP port, by specifying both the IP address and the TCP port that is being used, in this case 2828. | 192.168.17.28,2828 |
| Connection to a named instance by specifying both the IP address and the TCP port that is being used, in this case 2828. | 192.168.17.28\SQLEXPRESS,2828 |
| Connecting to default instance by name, forcing a TCP connection. | tcp:APPHOST |
| Connecting to named instance by name, forcing a TCP connection. | tcp:APPHOST\SQLEXPRESS |
| Connecting to a default instance by specifying a named pipe name. | \\APPHOST\pipe\SQL\query |
| Connecting to a named instance by specifying a named pipe name. | \\APPHOST\pipe\MSSQL$SQLEXPRESS\SQL\query |
| Connecting to default instance by name, forcing a named pipes connection. | np:APPHOST |
| Connecting to named instance by name, forcing a named pipes connection. | np:APPHOST\SQLEXPRESS |
When connected to the [!INCLUDE ssDE], the following query returns the protocol used for the current connection, along with the authentication method (NTLM or Kerberos), and indicates if the connection is encrypted.
SELECT net_transport,
auth_scheme,
encrypt_option
FROM sys.dm_exec_connections
WHERE session_id = @@SPID;