[TUTORIAL] How to Use SSH Tunnel in Navicat (Secure Database Connection)

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This tutorial explains how to connect to your MySQL / MariaDB database on a VPS or Dedicated server using SSH Tunnel in Navicat.


This method is recommended for:

• Metin2 servers
• VPS / Dedicated servers (OVH, Contabo, etc.)
• Secure production environments

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What is SSH Tunnel?​

SSH Tunnel allows you to connect to your MySQL database through an encrypted SSH connection.


Advantages:

• No need to open port 3306 publicly
• Encrypted connection
• Much safer for production servers

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Requirements​

You need:

• VPS IP address
• SSH username (usually root)
• SSH password
• MySQL/MariaDB username (example: mt2)
• MySQL/MariaDB password

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Step 1 – Open Navicat​

1. Open Navicat
2. Click Connection
3. Choose MySQL or MariaDB

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Step 2 – Configure the “General” Tab​

In the General tab, fill in:


Connection Name:
Example: Metin2 VPS


Host:

127.0.0.1

Port:

3306

User Name:
Example: mt2 (or root)


Password:
Your MySQL password


IMPORTANT:
Host must be 127.0.0.1
NOT your VPS IP address.

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Step 3 – Enable SSH Tunnel​

Go to the SSH tab.


Check:


✔ Use SSH Tunnel


Fill in:


Host:

YOUR_VPS_IP

Port:

22

User Name:

root

Password:
Your SSH password

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Step 4 – Test the Connection​

Click:


Test Connection


If everything is correct, you will see:


Connection Successful


Click OK and Save.

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Common Problem 1 – Access Denied​

If you receive:


Access denied for user


Login into MariaDB on your server:

mysql -u root -p

Then check users:

SELECT user, host FROM mysql.user;

Make sure your database user exists as:

'mt2'@'localhost'

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Common Problem 2 – Can't Connect to MySQL Server​

Check if MariaDB is running.


FreeBSD:

service mysql-server status

Linux:

systemctl status mariadb

If not running, start it.

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Common Problem 3 – SSH Connection Failed​

Check:

• Correct IP address
• Port 22 open
• SSH service running

On the server:

service sshd status