How do I...Enable remote access to MySQL database?

Step # 1: Login over ssh if server is outside your IDC

First, login over ssh to remote MySQL database server

Step # 2: Enable networking

Once connected you need edit the mysql configuration file my.cfg using text editor such as vi.

• If you are using Debian Linux file is located at /etc/mysql/my.cnf location
• If you are using Red Hat Linux/Fedora Linux file is located at /etc/my.cnf location
• If you are using FreeBSD you need to create a file /var/db/mysql/my.cnf

# vi  /etc/my.cnf

Step # 3: Once file open, locate line that read as

[mysqld]
Make sure line skip-networking is commented (or remove line) and add following line
bind-address=YOUR-SERVER-IP

For example, if your MySQL server IP is 65.55.55.2 then entire block should be look like as follows:

[mysqld]

user            = mysql

pid-file        = /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.pid

socket          = /var/run/mysqld/mysqld.sock

port            = 3306

basedir         = /usr

datadir         = /var/lib/mysql

tmpdir          = /tmp

language        = /usr/share/mysql/English

bind-address    = 65.55.55.2

# skip-networking

....

..

....

Where,

• bind-address : IP address to bind to.
• skip-networking : Don’t listen for TCP/IP connections at all. All interaction with mysqld must be made via Unix sockets. This option is highly recommended for systems where only local requests are allowed. Since you need to allow remote connection this line should removed from file or put it in comment state.

Step# 4 Save and Close the file

Restart your mysql service to take change in effect:

# /etc/init.d/mysql restart

Step # 5 Grant access to remote IP address

# mysql -u root -p mysqlGrant access to new database

If you want to add new database called foo for user bar and remote IP 202.54.10.20 then you need to type following commands at mysql> prompt:mysql> CREATE DATABASE foo;


mysql> GRANT ALL ON foo.* TO bar@'202.54.10.20' IDENTIFIED BY 'PASSWORD';

mysql> update db set Host='202.54.10.20' where Db='webdb';

mysql> update user set Host='202.54.10.20' where user='webadmin';

Step # 5: Logout of MySQL

Type exit command to logout mysql:

mysql> exit

Step # 6: Test it From remote system type command:

$ mysql -u webadmin –h 65.55.55.2 –p

Where,

• -u webadmin: webadmin is MySQL username
• -h IP or hostname: 65.55.55.2 is MySQL server IP address or hostname (FQDN)
• -p : Prompt for password

You can also use telnet to connect to port 3306 for testing purpose:

$ telnet 65.55.55.2 3306