title: Connecting remote SQL Server to PHP
body: <p>Can any one explain the connection string from the parameters below:</p>
  
  <pre><code>server IP : 192.168.137.4
  Windows Authentication : Windows Authentication
  UserName : DELL-M102Z\dell
  Database : DataProd 
  Network Protocol : &lt;default&gt;
  Product Name : Microsoft SQL Server Express Edition
  Server Name : DELL-M102Z\SQLEXPRESS
  Instance Name : SQLEXPRESS
  Computer Name : DELL-M102Z
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I tried: </p>
  
  <pre><code>$serverName = "DELL-M102Z\SQLEXPRESS"; //serverName\instanceName
  $username = "DELL-M102Z\dell"; //serverName\instanceName
  $conn = mssql_connect( $serverName,$username,'');
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>...but the result I got was:</p>
  
  <blockquote>
    <p>Warning: mssql_connect() [function.mssql-connect]: Unable to connect to server: DELL-M102Z\SQLEXPRESS in C:...\index.php on line 17
        Connection could not be established.</p>
  </blockquote>
  
  <p>Can anyone tell me what is the problem here?</p>