MS SQL Server 2012: How to configure more than one instance accessible via TCP/IP

Question

During installation of SQL Server 2012 Express the installation interface said that there could be at most one Default instance, and that the default instance can be accessed on the default TCP/IP port 1433.

However, it strikes when more than one instance is created, it must be possible somehow to configure these to use TCP/IP and run them on some other nondefault TCP/IP ports. How can I achieve this network configuration?

Thanks.

Answer 1

You configure what port number an instance listens to using the SQL Server Configuration Manager tool. Even if you change the default port number, 1433, you can still only have one default instance, MSSQLSERVER. You can however install additional instances using unique instance names. You connect to those instances using a server\\instance naming convention.