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By default, your MySQL databases only accept connections from your hosting server (localhost). If you need an external server (a separate web application, a development machine, or a third-party service) to connect to your database, you have to whitelist its IP address first.

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Add a remote host

1

Open the Remote Database Access settings

Log in to cPanel through your client area or at yourdomain.com/cpanel. Go to Databases > Remote Database Access (called Remote MySQL in older cPanel versions).
2

Enter the IP address or hostname

In the Host field, enter the IP address (IPv4 or IPv6) or hostname of the server that needs access.
3

Add an optional description

In the Comment field, add a note to remind yourself what this host is for (e.g. “Staging server” or “Office IP”). This is optional but helpful when you have multiple entries.
4

Save

Click Add Host.
The remote server can now connect to any MySQL database on your account using a valid database username and password. The connection uses your server’s hostname or IP address (not localhost) as the database host.

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Use wildcards

You can use the % character as a wildcard to allow a range of IP addresses:
Using % to allow all IP addresses means anyone on the internet can attempt to connect to your databases (they still need valid credentials, but you lose the IP-level protection). Only use broad wildcards if you fully understand the risk.

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Edit a host description

In the Manage Access Hosts section, find the entry you want to update. Change the text in the comment field and click Update.

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Remove a remote host

To revoke access for a remote host:
  1. In the Manage Access Hosts section, click Delete next to the host you want to remove.
  2. Click Remove Access Host to confirm.
The remote server will no longer be able to connect to your databases.

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Security considerations

  • Only whitelist IP addresses you actually need. Remove entries when they’re no longer in use.
  • Use a specific IP address rather than a wildcard whenever possible.
  • Make sure the database user connecting remotely has only the privileges it needs — don’t grant ALL PRIVILEGES if the application only reads data.
  • Remote database connections are not encrypted by default. If you’re connecting over the public internet, consider using an SSH tunnel to encrypt the connection.
Not sure what IP address your remote server uses? Run curl ifconfig.me on the server to find its public IP, or check with the provider of the service that needs to connect.
For help managing your databases and users, see Manage MySQL databases.