title: How to access MySQL from a remote computer (not localhost)?
body: <p>I have my dev environment set up as a Ubuntu Server (with LAMP installation) inside a vmware. The vmware is running on my local windows 7 machine. When I try to access my mysql server via HeidiSQL program the connection fails. I get a:</p>
  
  <pre><code>Server Error 2003, can't connect to mysql server on &lt;IP ADRESS HERE&gt;
  </code></pre>
  
  <p>I can however access the db server via PhpMyAdmin. MySQL is running and my connection credentials and port are all correct.</p>
  
  <p>I read that you should enter the IPs of the computer you are trying to connect from as the "bind address" in the my.cnf file. Which I did. I tried both the internal network IP as well as the online IP. Still no luck, same message.</p>
  
  <p>Since this isn't a production environment I would ideally like to allow anyone to access that server, not limit it by IP. Especially since my ISP assigns dynamic IPS. So I would have to change it all the time, assuming that even works.</p>
  
  <p>So does anyone know how I can connect to my MySQL server from a remote computer?</p>
  
  <p>P.S. I assume this is something developers have to deal with that's why I posted it here and not Super User. If it must be migrated please send it to Server Fault not Super User.</p>