MySQL connection over SSH tunnel - how to specify other MySQL server?

64
votes

I've got ~50 databases all set up at different host names, with the requirement that I connect to them through an SSH tunnel.

For example:

  • SSH host at ssh.example.com

  • MySQL host at mysql1.example.com

I have managed to create the tunnel using autossh (web server running Debian), but I can't seem to figure out how to connect to a specific MySQL hostname "beyond" the SSH tunnel.

Typing lsof -i -n | egrep '\<ssh\>' confirms that the tunnel is working (sends port 3307 to ssh.example.com port 3306)

So when I try mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3307 I get Connection refused. Not too weird since it's not an MySQL server.

My question to you guys:

How do I specify the mysql1.example.com host AFTER creating the SSH tunnel? I've tried searching everywhere but can't seem to figure it out.

4
mysqlssh-tunnel
I'm not familiar with 'autossh', but if you have a working ssh-tunnel you are using, i'd say just replace 127.0.0.1 with the actual target? – Nanne
@Nanne, thank you for your comment. However 127.0.0.1 is required to tigger the tunnel, otherwise it'll just try to connect directly to the remote host. – Mad Marvin

4 Answers

126
votes

Solved it! The thing was to connect to the correct server when creating the tunnel itself - should've seen that one coming.

ssh -f [email protected] -L 3307:mysql1.example.com:3306 -N

Then mysql -h 127.0.0.1 -P 3307 worked as intended. :)

16
votes

I got a nice blog about how to connect to MySQL using SSH tunnel. It is very well explained here.

The command to connect to SSH tunnel:

ssh -L [listening port]:[REMOTE_MYSQL_HOST]:[REMOTE_MYSQL_PORT] [SSH_USER]@[SSH_HOST]

The command to connect to MySQL:

localhost:[listening port]
13
votes

When you don't have direct access to mysql-server, you use jump-server.

From your machine, you connect(ssh) to jump-server and from there you connect to your mysql-server.

This can be avoided by using ssh- tunneling.

Suppose your 

       jump server is `jump-ip`
       mysql server is `mysql-ip`
       your machine is `machine-ip`

Just open ssh client(Putty in windows or terminal in linux/ios).

Type:

    ssh -L [local-port]:[mysql-ip]:[mysql-port] [jump-server-user]@[jump-ip]

After this, you can use your localhost and local-port to access mysql-server on the remote machine directly.

Eg. Your Jdbc url to access mysql database, in that case, will be

jdbc:mysql://localhost:[local-port]/[database-name]

For Windows Users, Using Putty to connect to remote MySQL Server via Tunneling

Step1: Enter your Jump server Host/IP in the session tab Step1

Step2: Go to SSH tab--> Tunnels: Enter Your MySQL server HostName: Port as destination and Source port as your local port where you want to tunnel that service and click on Add Step2

Step3: Go back to Session tab and click on Open and Enter your credentials, if it is Username/Password based.

And use same credential as mentioned above:

jdbc:mysql://localhost:[local-port]/[database-name]
4
votes

I created a tunnelto the DB using this command

ssh  -L 10000:localhost:3306  user@<ip addess to connect DB> -N -f

-L is local host port it is user defined u can provide any port number

between 0 to 65535. 0 to 1023 are reserved.

whether you are using key based authentication to the server you should

mention the key like this.

ssh -i <path of the private key>  -L 10000:localhost:3306  user@<ip addess to connect DB> -N -f