SQL Server Configuration Management missing protocols

Question

I can't connect to SQL Server using a simple UDL file but I can connect to it through SSMS. I have two nodes in the SQL Server Configuration Management which does not look right and there are no Client protocols in either of those nodes. Wouldn't those protocols would be there when installation takes place?

Answer 1

I finally got this working after a lot of messing around. As stated very briefly in the reference below and by Erland above the Microsoft® SQL Server® 2012 Native Client is old and no longer used. The "replacement" appears to be enabling protocols in "SQL Server Client Network Utility".

Enabling protocols in "SQL Server Client Network Utility":

1. Open a command prompt
2. Type "cliconfg.exe"
3. Enable: TCP/IP
4. Enable: Nambed Pipes

Reference: https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/discussions/sql_server/missing-client-protocols/4193681

Windows 11 Pro

SQL Server 2025

SSMS 22

Umbraco 17.0.0

Answer 2

Refer to https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/answers/questions/1377510/sql-server-native-protocol-doesnt-exist

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hth

Marcin

Answer 3

That node is for legacy drivers that does not ship with modern versions of SQL Server. Furthermore, those drivers were never used by SSMS.

If you have problems with connecting to SSMS, the issue is something else. We would to see the error message from SSMS. We would also need to know if you are running SSMS on the same machine as SQL Server or on a different machine.