browse to your local server through the "Server Explorer" tab in VS.NET. You should be able to view/generate a new connection string from there. I've noticed that localhost/ (local) didn't work for me ...

Fix SQL Server connection problems If you are a developer experiencing “Connect to Server” errors using SQL Server Management Studio on your local machine or development box, consult the checklist ...

Take advantage of the mission-critical capabilities in SQL Server 2016 for real time operational analytics, rich data visualizations and improved data security SQL Server is Microsoft’s flagship ...