The mysql default configuration is such that only local applications can access the server.

After checking all the firewall configurations, this solution was the only one that worked.

Elegance in simplicity perhaps?

The default from mysql server is to be binding to localhost (127.0.0.1), this means it will only accept connections from local applications.

To change that, edit /etc/mysql/my.cnf and comment out the line bind-address = 127.0.0.1:

Then you will need to restart the mysql server with: