Here is what is bugging me tonight.

I setup a SQL server on a computer.
I am able to connect remotely using the following connection string:

Data Source=123.123.123.123\Alliance;Initial Catalog=QuantumCoin;Integrated Security=False;User ID=einar;Password=GoPack;Connect Timeout=15

but the following connection string does not work

Data Source=123.123.123.123,1433;Initial Catalog=QuantumCoin;Integrated Security=False;User ID=einar;Password=GoPack;Connect Timeout=15

The 2nd connection string gives the following error message

System.Data.SqlClient.SqlException: 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: TCP Provider, error: 0 - No connection could be made because the target machine actively refused it.)

The error message doesn't make any sense to me since I can connect remotely using the 1st connection string.

I have setup SQL server on one of my PCs and I can connect to that database using both versions of the connection string.
The reason I have to get the 2nd connection string to work is because the web hosting company that I am trying to connect from the 1st connection string does not work for some reason so I have to use the format in the 2nd connection string.

Questions:
1. Why doesn't the 2nd connection string work?
2. Which connection string is better?
3. Why would the 1st connection string not work from a web hosting company?

Very odd stuff.

UPDATE:
I got the 2nd connection string working now by following the instructions in this link
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms177440.aspx
But any information on this is still welcome