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First time I am using PowerBI and trying to get the data source working.

What I am doing to connect at the moment:

  1. Click on 'Get Data'
  2. Select 'SQL Server database'
  3. Where it says Server I enter server(ip address name) and the SQL instance name on the server e.g. 1.1.1.1\MSSQLSERVER

Its weird because sometimes it takes me to the next page where the options displayed are Windows and Database. I have tried using the login I would use on remote connection to get into the server but no luck. It throws the error:

Details: "Microsoft SQL: 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. (provider: SQL Network Interfaces, error: 25 - Connection string is not valid)"

What am I doing wrong?

Faiz
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  • Is your IP whitelisted on the server? – ChristyCasey Feb 22 '17 at 17:38
  • MSSQLSERVER is the default instance for SQL Server, so instead of 1.1.1.1\MSSQLSERVER, try simply 1.1.1.1. – Leonard Feb 22 '17 at 18:22
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    Also, if you cross-post on multiple forums, it's good to share that in your question so that if you receive an answer in one forum, people in the other forum can see that and don't spend time trying to answer something that's already answered. https://community.powerbi.com/t5/Desktop/Trying-to-connect-PowerBI-to-Database-sitting-on-a-server/td-p/131301 – Leonard Feb 22 '17 at 18:24
  • @ChristyCasey I am pretty sure it is whitelisted. If it wasnt it wouldnt let me go into the server with remote desktop? – Faiz Feb 23 '17 at 09:47
  • @Leonard Apologies for not informing of the cross-post. And yes, i have already tried just the ip address 1.1.1.1 and it still gives the same error – Faiz Feb 23 '17 at 09:48
  • Hmmm. Is it the exact same error? I only get the "Connection String is not valid" error when I have "\MSSQLSERVER" in my connection string. Can you connect using other tools (e.g. SSMS, Excel) installed in the same place as Power BI Desktop? Can you connect to other SQL Servers from PBI Desktop? Could there be a firewall setting that's restricting the port to certain applications for example? – Leonard Feb 23 '17 at 16:42
  • @Leonard Never tried connecting local SSMS to server database. I tried to connect now from local SSMS, with the ip address in server name and SQL Server Authentication of database there with admin login sa. Similar error to above when tried. – Faiz Feb 23 '17 at 17:36
  • So you're looking at a general inability to connect to a SQL server, rather than a Power BI specific problem. I'm not really best placed to help with that unfortunately. There are a lot of things it could be: firewall, the server configuration, network. Sorry! – Leonard Feb 23 '17 at 22:54
  • @Leonard No worries thanks for the help. I'll see if i can get connected to the server db from local SSMS and go from there. – Faiz Feb 24 '17 at 13:16

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