It's safer not to access MySQL directly from outside, so you should put your server in on-line mode, and set permission in httpd.conf, or httpd-vhosts.conf if already setup vh, to allow the certain web ip only (i.e your univeristiy's web ip)
Let me make it a little more clear because it seems you're a little scare of the word "on-line". When in on-line mode, people can see your websites, but they don't actually gain access to your computer; however, if you setup to remote manage MySQL directly, it's a different story ;-)
On the other hand, people still see the websites which has MySQL databases w/o any problem because those websites and databases are stored in the same computer, so people access the websites, then the websites access the database to retrieve info, then show them in the browser for the users to see. On the other words, it's safe because the users can NOT directly manipulate the database, of course except professional hackers ;-) however, if your databases don't have any sensitive info such social number or credit cards' numbers, so on, you don't have anything to worry about; For example, you see my websites running 24/7 from my 3 computers, and except what you see in the browsers, can you get anything else from my computers?
Have fun,
FREE One A DayFREE PhotoFREE GamesFREE WebsitesFREE Portable GPSFREE WAMP GuidesEdited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/06/2008 04:38PM by yfastud.