title: Connecting to MySQL Database over server
body: <p>I'm quite a beginner when it comes to working with networks and the like, so apologizes up front.  A while back I set up a mySQL database locally on my machine, and have built a number of simple programs that work with it. (aka root:localhost sort of thing).</p>
  
  <p>This has been great, but I'm now hoping to allow other colleagues at my work to access the database from their machines, but I have no idea how. </p>
  
  <p>Likely there will be some network protection issues (firewalls etc), so that may need to be taken into account... (although I have IT's help on this, neither IT or myself really know what is required to 'connect' to the database). </p>
  
  <p>For example, is it just an IP I need?  Do I have to change the setup of my database?  I understand that localhost would not work from my colleagues computer's, for obvious reasons, I have no idea what would go in its place for others to access it.  </p>
  
  <p>I also do not mind having my machine run as the dedicated database machine...  I would not be able to run it off a dedicated server or anything like that, beyond my machine.</p>
  
  <p>Any help would be much appreciated! 
  Thanks.</p>