title: SQL Server Express : how to allow remote connections
body: <p>I am trying to allow remote connections for SQL Server Express. When I connect from machine A to connect to SQL Server on machine B using Visual Studio, I get an error:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>A network-related or instance-specific error occurred while establishing a connection to SQL Server. The server was not found or was not accessible. Verify that the instance name is correct and that SQL Server is configured to allow remote connections</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>I followed the following steps below which did not help.</p>
  
  <ul>
  <li>Enable remote connections on the instance of SQL Server that you want to connect to from a remote computer. Turn on the SQL Server Browser service. Configure the firewall to allow network traffic that is related to SQL Server and to the SQL Server Browser service.</li>
  </ul>
  
  <p>In fact I tried by turning off firewalls entirely but no luck. Any suggestions ?</p>