data access strategy

I've developed an app for our company using VB.NET (winforms) and SQL server express running on our SBS server 2003 Standard

The app works really well within our LAN but I often work remotely and quite often would benefit from using my custom app. I've tried the VPN but for some reason my app just won't connect to the database.

What I'd like is some advice about how I can allow remote clients to access a SQL database that lives inside our LAN. I've never done any work with web services but I thought I might be able to do something there. Or maybe it's a simple matter of a firewall port and a clever connection string (trying and failing), plus not sure thats a good idea. I also have external windows hosting and the ability to host the database on a remote site. Although I'm nervous of doing that I would be happy if it was possible to mirror my database onto the ISP's server so my remote clients can connect to that instance. Assuming of course that mirroring works both ways.

I've tried all manner of connection strings to connect remotely. I believe I have opened port 8082 on my firewall (it's managed so I can't see it with my own eyes) and pointing it to my SQL server machine.

I was using the SQL instance with windows authentication only but just changed it to test in mixed mode as well.

My SQL instance is set to listen on port 8082 (using IPALL in the TCP/IP Properties dialog)

Some of the connection strings I've tried:
Data Source=<<ext IP>>,8082;Network Library=DBMSSOCN;Initial Catalog=eproject;User ID=sa;Password=<<password>>"
Data Source=<<ext IP>>,8082\sqlexpress;Network Library=DBMSSOCN;Initial Catalog=eproject;User ID=sa;Password=<<password>>"
Data Source=<<ext IP>>,8082;Initial Catalog=eproject;Integrated Security=True"

and various other combinations. All of these connection strings work from clients within my LAN so it must be to do with my firewall or the SQL server instance itself.

I don't really know anything about database mirroring, or even if it's possible with SQL Express to a remote DB on the web.

Any advice on the best strategies to adopt for this problem would be hugely appreciated.

TIA

Russ

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