Enable mySQL database running on wamp to be accessed externally

[chasstuart]

Hello, have a database running on one box(wamp)inside the Workgroup all can see it on network but I want to be able to access(wamp)fro m home etc. Do I need to do all this on the server? If so what do i need to do?
Thanks

[Luuk]

You should ask your network administrator

[chasstuart]

Done that but he is an independent vendor says he doesn't have much experience in this. I'm sure its also a case of not wanting to hand out info for free. I believe I just need to use the router to redirect requests to port 80 say to the wamp server. Just not sure and maybe there's more to it.Thanks for the reply tho.

[Luuk]

Port 80 will only cover the 'a' of 'wamp'

Please not that this will open your webserver for all (worldwide) users. Everyone can see your pages, and your errors.

Also the error(s) you did not find, or wanted to solve tomorrow.

[sicarie]

To follow this up, as Luuk was intimating this is very bad security practice. Much better would be to put it behind a VPN such as OpenVPN and authenticate that way. Additionally, asking a vendor who doesn't have much experience to do something like this is a good way to cause a much bigger security hole than just a database box open to the internet.

Please spend time researching the best practice around what you want to do and why.

[chasstuart]

Thanks. I don't intend to open anything up until I know what I'm doing. I believe we also have a dynamic ip address so there are other issues even if I knew where I was going with this. There will be security on the box when it is up but I don't know about the server.The point of all this of course is to have everything open so it can be used on the internet hence my questions. I will check OpenVpn tho. Thanks again.

[chasstuart]

Follow up-- I tried the vpn using cisco's Quick client I just get a gateway not responding over and over which I believe has to do with subnets. I tried setting the vpn remote user to any(IP) and shut down the internet on the server. I wonder if anyone has used some sort of client server set-up they can refer me to?