ORA-12162: TNS:net service name is incorrectly specified

Cause: The connect descriptor corresponding to the net service name in TNSNAMES.ORA or in the directory server (Oracle Internet Directory) is incorrectly specified.

Action: If using local naming make sure there are no syntax errors in the corresponding connect descriptor in the TNSNAMES.ORA file. If using directory naming check the information provided through the administration used for directory naming.

Example:

oracle@hostname:~$ sqlplus scott

SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Wed Feb 26 15:34:14 2014

Enter password:

ERROR:

ORA-12162: TNS:net service name is incorrectly specified

Solution:

Windows:

set ORACLE_SID=scotttest

Linux:

Set oracle home if not set, you can check it by “echo $ORACLE_HOME”

oracle@hostname:~$ export ORACLE_HOME=/opt/oracle/product/ora11r2

oracle@hostname:~$ export ORACLE_SID=scotttest

oracle@hostname:~$ sqlplus scott

SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Wed Feb 26 15:39:22 2014

Enter password:

Connected to:

Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.1.0 - 64bit Production

With the Partitioning and Automatic Storage Management options

SQL>

If you are using TNS files then you can check your TNS by the following way:

oracle@hostname:~$ sqlplus scott@scott_test

SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Wed Feb 26 15:44:13 2014

Enter password:

ERROR:

ORA-12505: TNS:listener does not currently know of SID given in connect descriptor

Fix the TNS information in tnsnames.ora file and check it.

oracle@hostname:~$ tnsping scott_test

TNS Ping Utility for Linux: Version 11.2.0.1.0 - Production on 26-FEB-2014 15:45:54

Used parameter files:

/opt/oracle/product/ora11r2/network/admin/sqlnet.ora

Used TNSNAMES adapter to resolve the alias

Attempting to contact (DESCRIPTION = (ADDRESS = (PROTOCOL = TCP)(HOST = host.scott.com)(PORT = 1521)) (CONNECT_DATA = (SERVER = DEDICATED) (SID = scotttest)))

OK (0 msec)

Now it should Work.

oracle@hostname:~$ sqlplus scott@scott_test

SQL*Plus: Release 11.2.0.1.0 Production on Wed Feb 26 15:45:36 2014

Enter password:

Connected to:

Oracle Database 11g Enterprise Edition Release 11.2.0.3.0 - 64bit Production

With the Partitioning, Automatic Storage Management, OLAP, Data Mining

and Real Application Testing options

SQL>

Note: If you are using client and tnping is not working then check your client have installed that features or not. Usually you will get tnsping.exe file under bin folder if this features installed.