How to connect to my MySQL server on my VPS from my computer?

[JoshuaLuke]

Hiya guis,

I have my MySQL server on my VPS but i'm wanting to connect to it from my local computer via Navicat but how do I do this? I tried inputting the IP instead of 127.0.0.1 but it couldn't connect

Thanks
Josh

 

[LeCeejay]

You need to port forward your MYSQL Port to allow both incoming and outgoing connections.
Then use your 'host' as the IP of the VPS.

Should work.

 

[Heaplink]

Follow these steps:

You must be registered for see links

Normally you should NEVER, and I mean NEVER forward port 3306 - but since you really want remote connection, you'll have to open this for incoming and outgoing connections as

You must be registered for see links

said. Then you need to set up MySQL to allow connections from a remote user and make a remote user (%) with a password.

Good luck.

 

[JoshuaLuke]

Follow these steps:

You must be registered for see links

Normally you should NEVER, and I mean NEVER forward port 3306 - but since you really want remote connection, you'll have to open this for incoming and outgoing connections as

You must be registered for see links

said. Then you need to set up MySQL to allow connections from a remote user and make a remote user (%) with a password.

Good luck.

Why should I NEVER open port 3306? Any reason? :S

 

[Heaplink]

Because of security. Any time you open a port (depends how, but mostly) it will be open to both ways, incoming (client to server) and outgoing (server to client). This means people can go through that port and have a connection to that software that uses that port. And since MySQL is software and uses 3306 for this, it is a security risk.

Normally only use SSH (if you got Linux or Windows with PuTTy) it's the most recommended way.

 

[JoshuaLuke]

Because of security. Any time you open a port (depends how, but mostly) it will be open to both ways, incoming (client to server) and outgoing (server to client). This means people can go through that port and have a connection to that software that uses that port. And since MySQL is software and uses 3306 for this, it is a security risk.

Normally only use SSH (if you got Linux or Windows with PuTTy) it's the most recommended way.

I opened port 3306, and it worked but should I just access MySQL via the server or is it just a minor security threat?

 

[Heaplink]

It's is not a minor but a major security threat, since everyone have access to your server through mysql, and your database contain information, that you can modify, delete, add or worse. Therefore, if you're going to open the port, make sure your username for mysql is not default (root) and is a secret and the same with your password, make it hard to get to.