Connect to ONLINE MySQL database using DSN ODBC 2

Question

I am facing this problem: stackoverflow question except my host doesn't seem to have cpanel. Since the answer given in the linked question is cpanel related it has not helped me. Is there anything I can do?

Answer 1

It seems you are trying to connect from a client machine located on your desk to a mySQL server instance located in a service provider's server farm. You're trying to use the ODBC "driver" for mySQL to do this, so you can look at your mySQL data with MS Access. (Right?)

You need to make sure this particular hosting service provider allows remote connections to their mySQL server instances. Some service providers, especially the lowest-cost ones, prevent these remote connections using firewalls or other network isolation techniques. (They do that because it's easier to control both security and performance when only their own web servers can connect to their mySQL servers. ) If your service provider prevents all these connections as a matter of policy, you're going to need another service provider.

If they DO allow remote connections, you may need to enable those connections for your mySQL database. That's what the "cpanel" function mentioned in the other question is about. cpanel is a popular control panel web application offered by many commercial hosting service providers to allow self-service control by their customers. If your service provider doesn't use cpanel, you'll have to find out what they do use. Even if they do use cpanel, they may still not allow remote mySQL connections.

You will also have to make sure your client machine (the one running ODBC) and user have authorization in the mySQL user database.

You would do well to put in a service ticket to your service provider asking if they do offer remote mySQL access. If they say "yes," then you can ask them for advice and help on setting it up.

Keep in mind that opening mySQL server instances for direct connection over the publicly accessible internet is not ordinarily considered a good security practice. If the data in your database is in any way private (peoples' identity information, for example) you need to be very careful indeed.