Can't connect to DB using Base due to Network Security?

[RichA1]

Summary of issue:

1. I created MySQL database ABC on the server that hosts site xyz.org.
2. From home, I accessed it with LibreOffice Base (using JDBC). Everything works as expected.
3. From the office of a nonprofit organization located on a college campus, we could not do the same thing. That is, we could not access MySQL database ABC on xyz.org using Base.
4. Thinking this might be due to some difference in software or operating system, we took into the office a laptop that does connect to ABC at home, and it cannot connect to database ABC using Base at the office–even though the laptop can access the internet and web site xyz.org from the office.
5. Thinking the problem might be use of an IP address to specify the database’s server, we created an ODB file that specifies xyz.org as server, instead of xyz.org’s IP address. This makes no difference: Specifying URL instead of IP address in Base does allow connection from home, but not from the office (on the same laptop).

So, to me it seems to be some kind of security or firewall issue on the campus. But I don’t know enough about this to understand what kind of network or firewall rule can allow access to xyz.org from a browser but prevent access to a MySQL DB on xyz.org’s server via Base.

Does anyone have any suggestion for what I might try next, or knowledge about what security rule might be preventing access?

Thanks very much.

[mariosv]

I think you need to talk with the TIC department in the university to verify if it is possible to get an external access to your computer, and how.