Question : SQL Server 2005 not accepting DB instance name that include port number for replication setup

I have SQL Server 2000 on server A.   I have SQL Server 2005 on server B.  I am trying to replicate data from server B to server A.  The database on server B is the distrbutor and is suppose to push the data to the subscriber database on server A.

For whatever reason, in order for me to connect to the database on server A, I have had to always specify not only the database instance name but also the port number ("servername\instance name, 1433").  I have to do this whether I'm setting up the ODBC setting on another server or desktop or if I trying to connect to it from SQL Server Management Studio from another server.  If I don't include the port number I can't make the connection.

The problem is that when I try to add the database on server A as a subscriber to the data to be pushed to it, SQL Server 2005 on server B will not accept the  "servername\instance name, 1433" name as the subscriber database name.  It doesn't like the "1433" appended to the end.  I get the following error message:

"SQL Server replication requires the actual server name to make a connection to the server. Connections through a server alias, IP address, or any other alternate name are not supported.  Specify the actual server name, 'servername\instance name'."

If I just input "servername\instance name" it can't connect to the database on server A and subscribor setup fails.

Server B previously had SQL Server 2000 installed and I did not have this problem in the past with SQL Server 2000.  SQL Server 2000 readily accepted the "servername\instance name, 1433" naming format during subscription setup.

Any suggestins to solve this problem.  I'll take any solutions that either enables SQL Server 2005 to accept the "servername\instance name, 1433" naming convention during the setup for subscription or a solution that allows me to eliminate the need to include the port number with the database instance name on server A in order to connect to it.

Answer : SQL Server 2005 not accepting DB instance name that include port number for replication setup

Make sure that you allow remote connections with 2k5.....http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;en-us;914277

Did you try  tcp:192.168.1.100, 1433 (notice the space after the comma) as your name and port?