BUG: Error 18456 when trying to configure publishing using a remote distributor (225129)

SYMPTOMS

The following error message is returned when you attempt to configure publishing using a remote distributor if the password required for the publisher to establish an administrative link with the distributor is NULL:

SQL Server Enterprise Manager could not configure '<Distributor_name>' as the Distributor for '<Publisher_name>'.

Error 18456: Login failed for user 'distributor_admin'.

WORKAROUND

Configure the publisher as a trusted publisher to the distributor so that a password is not required to establish the administrative link between the publisher and the distributor. To change the security settings for the publisher, follow these steps:
1. On the Tools menu, select Replication.
2. On the Publisher tab, highlight your publisher in the list, and then click the ellipsis (...) next to that publisher.
3. In the Replication Agents on the Distribution Log into the Publisher section, select the By impersonating the SQL Server Agent account on '{ServerName}' (trusted connection) check box.
-or-
Do not use a login that has a NULL password for establishing the administrative link between the publisher and the distributor. The administrative link password can be set in Enterprise Manager. To do this, follow these steps:
1. On the Tools menu, select Replication.
2. On the Distributor tab, under the Administrative link password section, enter your password in the password and confirm password fields.
  
  Note We recommend that you use a strong password in this step.

MORE INFORMATION

Steps To Reproduce the Problem

The following steps should be performed at the distributor:
1. In the SQL Server Enterprise Manager (SEM), go to the Tools menu and select Replication.
2. Next, select the Configure Publishing and Subscribers... option.
3. The Configure Publishing and Distribution wizard will be started if replication is not already enabled on this server.
4. Choose the local server as the Distributor.
5. Do not use the default configuration, but customize the publishing and distribution settings as follows:
  1. In the Enable Publishers window, enable a publisher of your choice and then click the ellipse button next to that publisher.
  2. In the "Replication agents on the Distributor log into the Publisher:" section of the Properties dialog box, select the "Using SQL Server Authentication of this account option:" and specify the login and password. Make sure that this login has no password.
  3. In the "Administrative link to the Distributor" section of the Properties dialog box, select the "A password is required to establish a link to the Distributor" option.
  4. Complete the wizard.
The following steps should be performed at the publisher:
1. In the SQL Server Enterprise Manager (SEM), go to the Tools menu and select Replication.
2. Next, select the Configure Publishing and Subscribers... option.
3. The Configure Publishing and Distribution wizard will be started if replication is not already enabled on this server.
4. Choose the remote distributor.
5. When prompted for the Administrative password leave the password field blank.
6. Use the default configuration and click Finish to complete the wizard.

The process fails with the following error message: