[RESOLVED] Connect to database from another server

[donkeychoker]

Hi all,
Could anyone please tell me the correct procedure to connect to a mysql database on another host?

I have 2 websites on different hosts (servers) and would like to use the records stored on one database on another website.

I used

$db_host= "www.mywebsite.com" instead of "localhost" and it worked fine for a day now it gives me a 'Lost connection to server' error constantly.

Is there a another way?

Any help appreciated
Thx

[crazychris]

That's the way to do it, just change the host name.
Lost connection is often (for me) because the query size was > 1MB

[donkeychoker]

Thanks for you reply.
So there are no permission issues relating to my error? I read somewhere about mysql network permissions and wondered if it related.....

My query at present is only searching through 31 small records so don't think it is a time-out.

[crazychris]

the server at the other end must have a port open (mysql_connect() will return an error if it is not open) and your user must be allowed to connect from the server you are using. Most web hosts only allow connections from localhost for users. Check the mysql.users table (if you can) and see what entry you have in the host table e.g. % or localhost

[donkeychoker]

So if the server says only 'localhost', I cannot make a connection to it from outside the server?
Is there another way?
Thx for the replies.

[donkeychoker]

Ok I've tried moving the database from one server and installing on the other but I get the same result "lost connection" from the other website.

I have checked and checked google for problems with 'white space' and such. I have even created just a simple query and still have the same problem.

I added the wildcard to the server and also the www. address to the allowed hosts. I am totally lost with this, especially after it worked fine for a few hours when i set it up.

My last resort is to put the pages that request the info on the server where the db is stored, but would prefer not to do this.

At present I have the database on both websites but when records are added on the other site, it's going to take a lot of work to manually insert them into the other db.

Anyone with same problem? Any workaround?

[crazychris]

nope, seems odd.

check and return errors like the following:

if (mysql_connect("host","login","password")) {
   if (mysql_select_db("mydatabase")) {
     print "connected and selected ok";
   } else {
     print "connected and selected failed";
   }
} else {
   print "failed to connect to server";
}

[donkeychoker]

Hi thx again for the reply.

Using code above: Same. Takes a couple of minutes to try and load the page then:

"Warning: mysql_connect(): Lost connection to MySQL server during query in /home/westdors/public_html/contest.php on line 14
failed to connect to server "

[donkeychoker]

I tried it on the other server changing the connection details and got the exact same result!!!!

<?php
if (mysql_connect("www.----------.com","p-----","---------")) {
if (mysql_select_db("---------")) {
print "connected and selected ok";
} else {
print "connected and selected failed";
}
} else {
print "failed to connect to server";
}
?>

[crazychris]

ok, so it's not connecting.... is there maybe a firewall stopping the connection?

[donkeychoker]

Hi,
I don't know! How do I find out?

[crazychris]

from your machine, or the server, run a telnet session to the database server, e.g.

telnet www.sample.com 3306

+
 3.23.42-nt¼☺jHhRC920☻

►☺♦Bad handshake

Connection to host lost.

see if it connects or just hangs there...

[donkeychoker]

i'll give that a go many thx

[donkeychoker]

Many thx for all your help.
It was a firewall problem and the hosting co have opened the relevant port for me.
thx again