Next, use PHP's mysql_select_db function to choose a database on the server. Upon a successful connection, you can now use other PHP functions to query the database and display the results on your ...

This would be a good idea if you’re connecting to your MySQL from outside of your LAN. If you’re within your LAN, chances are you won’t need this option.

Because MySQL is such a popular database, I thought it would be a great data source to use as an illustration. This will also refresh your memory on how to set MySQL up for remote connections.