Searching for help on this problem, I found a lot of stuff having to
do with server configuration, and other distractions, and having
figured out the solution (at the end of at least 4 hours of
thrashing), I wanted to share it for the benefit of others.

PROBLEM: A Windows 7 machine with SQL Server Management Studio 2005
can connect to the localhost SQL Server 2005 instance, a "regular"
remote SQL Server 2005 setup (CrystalTech's web hosting), and a SQL
Server 2000 instance on a server with a VPN connection.

I could NOT connect to the SQL Server 2005 instance on the VPN, UNLESS
I turned off the firewall for the "Public" profile..

SOLUTION:
The win7 firewall configuration had 2 pair of inbound rules for SQL
Server Management Studio, allowing any UDP and any TCP ports, for the
"Private" and "Domain" profiles. None of these was enabled.

I changed one pair to serve for all three profiles, enabled the pair
of rules, and I was able to connect.

Thank you for sharing that Tom von Alten

"Tom von Alten" <tom.vonalten (AT) gmail (DOT) com> wrote