MySQL ODBC 8.x Remote Connection (Windows Server 2022 + Plesk)

MySQL Connector ODBC 8.x is the modern and recommended driver for connecting applications on Windows Server 2022 to remote MySQL databases hosted on Fast2Host Plesk Obsidian servers.

Enable Remote Access in Plesk

Before connecting, ensure your IP address is allowed in Plesk:

• Go to Websites & Domains
• Click Databases
• Select your database
• Open Remote Access
• Add your IP or use % to allow all (not recommended)

MySQL ODBC 8.x Connection String

Use the following DSN-less connection string for MySQL ODBC 8.x:

Driver={MySQL ODBC 8.0 Unicode Driver};Server=mysql5.fast2host.com;Port=3306;Database=myDataBase;User=myUsername;Password=myPassword;Option=3;SSLMode=None;

Replace myDataBase, myUsername, and myPassword with your actual database details. Your MySQL hostname is usually mysql5.fast2host.com as provided in your hosting welcome email.

Unicode vs ANSI Driver

• MySQL ODBC 8.0 Unicode Driver - recommended for most software
• MySQL ODBC 8.0 ANSI Driver - for legacy apps only

Common Troubleshooting Tips

• Ensure your IP is whitelisted in Plesk Remote Access
• Firewall must allow outbound port 3306
• If SSL errors occur, set SSLMode=None (as shown above)
• For performance, enable ODBC connection pooling in Windows