{"id":18307,"date":"2019-06-27T10:48:41","date_gmt":"2019-06-27T16:48:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/?p=18307"},"modified":"2022-02-03T08:39:59","modified_gmt":"2022-02-03T15:39:59","slug":"error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Fix the \u201cError Establishing a Database Connection\u201d in WordPress"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In this article we cover the common \u201cerror establish a database connection in WordPress\u201d message that can sometimes be displayed when a website is unavailable.<\/p><div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 ez-toc-wrap-center counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d605e0af0de\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">WHAT'S INSIDE<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #000000;color:#000000\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-69d605e0af0de\"  \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#What_Causes_a_WordPress_Database_Connection_Error\" >What Causes a WordPress Database Connection Error?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#Incorrect_Database_Details\" >Incorrect Database Details<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#Corrupted_Database\" >Corrupted Database<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#Overloaded_Database_Server\" >Overloaded Database Server<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#How_to_Fix_a_WordPress_Database_Connection_Error\" >How to Fix a WordPress Database Connection Error<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#Dont_Forget_to_Check_Your_Backups\" >Don\u2019t Forget to Check Your Backups<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#Fixing_the_WordPress_Database_Connection_Error\" >Fixing the WordPress Database Connection Error<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#Incorrect_Database_Details-2\" >Incorrect Database Details<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#Overloaded_Database_Server-2\" >Overloaded Database Server<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/#Final_Thoughts\" >Final Thoughts<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n<p>First up, we look at some of the causes of this error, before exploring the different ways it can be fixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although this article doesn\u2019t dive too deeply into the technical details behind the causes of this problem and the ways to fix it, this article should give you a good overview of this issue to help you understand it better and speak about it more confidently.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So with that in mind, let\u2019s begin\u2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-causes-a-wordpress-database-connection-error\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Causes_a_WordPress_Database_Connection_Error\"><\/span>What Causes a WordPress Database Connection Error?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Unlike some errors that you might see on a website or on your computer, such as the 404 error or a warning that an illegal operation has been performed, the error that we\u2019re looking at today at least has a self-explanatory name or output message.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So when you see the Error Establishing a Database Connection message when trying to access a WordPress website, it really does mean that the WordPress software can\u2019t connect to its underlying database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As this database is where all of the WordPress website\u2019s content, settings, files, and more are stored, it\u2019s a pretty big problem if the site can\u2019t make the connection. However, even though it is a serious issue, it doesn\u2019t mean that your site is broken beyond repair. As we\u2019ll see in the solution section to this guide to understanding this WordPress database error, it can be fixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, though, the causes for this problem do vary and there\u2019s no one explanation for when your WordPress website can\u2019t connect to its database. Also, as there\u2019s no single cause for this problem, there isn\u2019t a single solution to the WordPress database error either.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>However, there are some common causes of the WordPress database connection error that we\u2019ll quickly cover here before moving on to sharing some tips on how you can fix this issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"incorrect-database-details\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incorrect_Database_Details\"><\/span>Incorrect Database Details<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>One common cause of this error is that the details which WordPress is using to connect to the database are incorrect, including the database name, username, and <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/go\/lastpass\" title=\"Last Pass Affiliate link\" class=\"pretty-link-keyword\"rel=\"nofollow \" target=\"_blank\">password<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If WordPress can\u2019t access the file that contains these details \u2013 the wp-config.php file \u2013 or the contents of that file doesn\u2019t match the credentials of the database, then you\u2019ll see the database connection error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Causes that could lead to this problem arising include changes to the database username or password that haven\u2019t been reflected in the wp-config.php file, or the renaming, deletion, or corruption of the wp-config.php file itself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"corrupted-database\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Corrupted_Database\"><\/span>Corrupted Database<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another cause of this error could be the fact that the database has been corrupted or damaged in some way. If this happens, then WordPress might not be able to connect to it, producing the error establishing a database connection message to be displayed instead of the website and its content.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"overloaded-database-server\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overloaded_Database_Server\"><\/span>Overloaded Database Server<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another cause of this issue can be that the server hosting the database is overloaded. When this happens, the files on the server can become unavailable, causing a connection error.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This cause is especially common if you\u2019re using cheap shared hosting for your WordPress website. With this type of hosting, multiple websites and their databases are stored on the same server, sharing the same resources and increasing the chances of an overload. Due to this, it might not be your website that\u2019s causing the problem, and instead, one of your neighbors on the same server.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The good news is that if this is the cause, there\u2019s a chance the error will resolve itself, once the load on the server has reduced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-fix-a-wordpress-database-connection-error\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Fix_a_WordPress_Database_Connection_Error\"><\/span>How to Fix a WordPress Database Connection Error<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>While it\u2019s a big deal when a WordPress website is unable to connect to its database \u2013 mainly because the site becomes unavailable \u2014 thankfully, it\u2019s often a problem that can be fixed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Although in many cases, you can fix this problem yourself, your first port of call should be your <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/go\/wpe\/pricing\" title=\"WPengine Affiliate Link\" class=\"pretty-link-keyword\"rel=\"nofollow \" target=\"_blank\">web hosting<\/a> support desk. Most good web hosts have a priority support channel you can use if your website is unavailable, which it will be if the error establishing a database connection message is displayed. But whatever your level of service, get in touch with your web host help desk via the most responsive method, which is usually <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/go\/livechat\" title=\"Livechat Affiliate Link\" class=\"pretty-link-keyword\"rel=\"nofollow \" target=\"_blank\">live chat<\/a> or telephone.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to try and fix the problem yourself, the tips below should help you to solve this issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"don-t-forget-to-check-your-backups\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Dont_Forget_to_Check_Your_Backups\"><\/span>Don\u2019t Forget to Check Your Backups<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Before you start trying to fix this issue, make sure you have a working backup of your WordPress website and its database. If you\u2019ve been using one of <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/best-backup-plugins-for-your-wordpress-membership-site\/\">our recommended WordPress backup solutions<\/a>, then there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll already have an archive of your website to fall back on should something go wrong, or if you\u2019re unable to fix the database connection error. Your backup strategy should include testing your backups to ensure you\u2019re able to restore them when they\u2019re needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you haven\u2019t been backing up your WordPress website, then you could try contacting your web host to see if they\u2019ve been taking backups of your site on your behalf.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If there aren\u2019t any recent backups of your website, you could still be able to take one. While you won\u2019t be able to log in to the WordPress Dashboard to create a backup when you\u2019re seeing the database connection error message, you could create a backup at the server level, using the tools provided by your web host. These tools can often be found in the cPanel. Again, contact your web host if you\u2019re unsure about how to create a backup outside of WordPress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Any backups created after the database connection error has occurred will still contain the error, but at least if you make any mistakes while trying to fix the problem, you\u2019ll be able to roll back to when you created the backup and try again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fixing-the-wordpress-database-connection-error\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Fixing_the_WordPress_Database_Connection_Error\"><\/span>Fixing the WordPress Database Connection Error<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>So, now that you have your backup files somewhere safe and accessible, here are some of the ways it might be possible to fix the error establishing a database connection in WordPress issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"incorrect-database-details\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Incorrect_Database_Details-2\"><\/span>Incorrect Database Details<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>As mentioned earlier, if the details, such as the database name, username, and password, in the wp-config.php file don\u2019t match the actual details of your database, WordPress won\u2019t be able to connect to the database.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So to check if this mismatch is the cause of the error, you\u2019ll need to locate and open your wp-config.php file and check those details yourself. The wp-config.php file can be found in the root directory of your website on the server where it\u2019s hosted. To access that area, you\u2019ll need to log in to the server via FTP or use an online file manager to access the file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1600\" height=\"892\" src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager.png\" alt=\"File Manager\" class=\"wp-image-18310\" srcset=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager.png 1600w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-300x167.png 300w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-1024x571.png 1024w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-768x428.png 768w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-1536x856.png 1536w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-305x170.png 305w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-840x468.png 840w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-1216x678.png 1216w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-700x390.png 700w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-156x87.png 156w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager-1080x602.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1600px) 100vw, 1600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>If you\u2019re not sure how to do this, you\u2019ll need to find the documentation provided by your host, or contact their support staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1400\" height=\"832\" src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP.png\" alt=\"FTP Server\" class=\"wp-image-18311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP.png 1400w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-1024x609.png 1024w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-768x456.png 768w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-286x170.png 286w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-840x499.png 840w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-1151x684.png 1151w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-700x416.png 700w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-156x93.png 156w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP-1080x642.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1400px) 100vw, 1400px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve found the file, be sure to create a backup of it before making any changes. Once that\u2019s done, open the file for editing, by either downloading it from the server or through the file manager interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>As the image below shows, the lines you\u2019re looking for start with \/\/ ** MySQL settings \u2013 You can get this info from your web host ** \/\/<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1260\" height=\"442\" src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing.png\" alt=\"MySQL WP-Config.php entry\" class=\"wp-image-18312\" srcset=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing.png 1260w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-300x105.png 300w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-1024x359.png 1024w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-768x269.png 768w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-485x170.png 485w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-840x295.png 840w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-1216x427.png 1216w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-700x246.png 700w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-156x55.png 156w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing-1080x379.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1260px) 100vw, 1260px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>In that section of the wp-config.php file, you can see the following details:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The name of the database: DB_NAME<\/li><li>The database username: DB_USER<\/li><li>The database password: DB_PASSWORD<\/li><li>The database hostname: DB_HOST<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Now you\u2019ll need to check that those details match the details for the database. To do so, you\u2019ll need to access the database. Your options here will be defined by your web host. But one popular way to access the database is through your web hosting control panel, such as via the phpMyAdmin tool found in the cPanel interface.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"1550\" height=\"313\" src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools.png\" alt=\"cPanel Database tools\" class=\"wp-image-18313\" srcset=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools.png 1550w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-300x61.png 300w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-1024x207.png 1024w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-768x155.png 768w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-1536x310.png 1536w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-660x133.png 660w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-840x170.png 840w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-1216x246.png 1216w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-700x141.png 700w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-156x32.png 156w, https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools-1080x218.png 1080w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 1550px) 100vw, 1550px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>Once you\u2019ve launched phpMyAdmin to access the database, you need to confirm the details from the wp-config.php file that we just covered. This is perhaps the most difficult part of the process so it\u2019s best to refer to <a href=\"https:\/\/kinsta.com\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection\/\">this guide on the Kinsta blog<\/a> that covers how to check the credentials of your WordPress database to see if they match the details in your wp-config.php file.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If at this point you\u2019d rather seek support from your web host than proceed on your own, you can send the help desk staff the database details from your wp-config.php file to help them get started.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"overloaded-database-server\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Overloaded_Database_Server-2\"><\/span>Overloaded Database Server<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If the cause of your database connection error is an overloaded server, then there\u2019s a good chance the problem will resolve itself once the burden on the server has decreased.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Unfortunately, there\u2019s no quick and easy way to determine if this is the cause of the error. While your Google Analytics data could reveal that your website is experiencing a surge in traffic, it could be one of the other websites hosted on the same server that is causing the overload.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you contact the support staff of your web host, they should be able to tell you if this is the cause of your issue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If an overloaded server is causing downtime for your website, then it might be time to consider changing your hosting plan. One option would be upgrading to a higher plan with your current provider, or <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/how-to-choose-the-best-web-hosting-for-your-membership-site\/\">switching to a better web host<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final-thoughts\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Final_Thoughts\"><\/span>Final Thoughts<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Hopefully, this article has shed some light on the infamous error establishing a database connection problem that can affect WordPress websites from time to time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In most cases, your best option will be to contact your web host and instruct them to resolve the issue. However, the information in this article should have given you a better idea of what\u2019s caused the problem and some of the ways it can be fixed.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Fixing your website yourself can be rewarding. But in most cases, its best left to the professionals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Has your website ever displayed the error establishing a database connection message? If so, what did you do to resolve it? Please let us know in the comments below. <\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In this article we cover the common \u201cerror establish a database connection in WordPress\u201d message that can sometimes be displayed when a website is unavailable. First up, we look at some of the causes of this error, before exploring the different ways it can be fixed. Although this article doesn\u2019t dive too deeply into the [\u2026]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2122,"featured_media":33261,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_strive_editorial_status":"not-started","_strive_copy_of":0,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_caption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_nocaption":"","_FSMCFIC_featured_image_hide":"","_strive_checklists":"\"\"","_strive_active_checklist":"62291e2bb2422","_strive_post_notes":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[69],"tags":[72,508],"class_list":{"0":"post-18307","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-advice","8":"tag-support","9":"tag-troubleshooting","10":"entry"},"acf":{"plans":["scale"],"is_featured":false,"download_source":"none","mothership_slug":"","download_url":""},"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t<!-- 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17:53:12","breadcrumb_settings":null,"limit_modified_date":false,"reviewed_by":null,"open_ai":null,"ai":null,"created":"2020-12-21 16:18:00","updated":"2026-03-03 15:06:50"},"aioseo_breadcrumb":"<div class=\"aioseo-breadcrumbs\"><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\" title=\"Home\">Home<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\t<a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/category\/advice\/\" title=\"Advice\">Advice<\/a>\n<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb-separator\">&raquo;<\/span><span class=\"aioseo-breadcrumb\">\n\tHow to Fix the \u201cError Establishing a Database Connection\u201d in WordPress\n<\/span><\/div>","aioseo_breadcrumb_json":[{"label":"Home","link":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de"},{"label":"Advice","link":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/category\/advice\/"},{"label":"How to Fix the \u201cError Establishing a Database Connection\u201d in WordPress","link":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection-in-wordpress-what-it-means-how-to-fix-it\/"}],"app_bookmark":{"bookmark_id":0,"is_bookmarked":false,"bookmark_date":0},"comments_count":"1","content_native":[{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>In this article we cover the common \u201cerror establish a database connection in WordPress\u201d message that can sometimes be displayed when a website is unavailable.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"In this article we cover the common \u201cerror establish a database connection in WordPress\u201d message that can sometimes be displayed when a website is unavailable."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>First up, we look at some of the causes of this error, before exploring the different ways it can be fixed.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"First up, we look at some of the causes of this error, before exploring the different ways it can be fixed."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Although this article doesn\u2019t dive too deeply into the technical details behind the causes of this problem and the ways to fix it, this article should give you a good overview of this issue to help you understand it better and speak about it more confidently.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Although this article doesn\u2019t dive too deeply into the technical details behind the causes of this problem and the ways to fix it, this article should give you a good overview of this issue to help you understand it better and speak about it more confidently."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>So with that in mind, let\u2019s begin\u2026<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"So with that in mind, let\u2019s begin\u2026"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"what-causes-a-wordpress-database-connection-error\">What Causes a WordPress Database Connection Error?<\/h2>","content":"What Causes a WordPress Database Connection Error?","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h2","fontSize":"27px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Unlike some errors that you might see on a website or on your computer, such as the 404 error or a warning that an illegal operation has been performed, the error that we\u2019re looking at today at least has a self-explanatory name or output message.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Unlike some errors that you might see on a website or on your computer, such as the 404 error or a warning that an illegal operation has been performed, the error that we\u2019re looking at today at least has a self-explanatory name or output message."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>So when you see the Error Establishing a Database Connection message when trying to access a WordPress website, it really does mean that the WordPress software can\u2019t connect to its underlying database.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"So when you see the Error Establishing a Database Connection message when trying to access a WordPress website, it really does mean that the WordPress software can\u2019t connect to its underlying database."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>As this database is where all of the WordPress website\u2019s content, settings, files, and more are stored, it\u2019s a pretty big problem if the site can\u2019t make the connection. However, even though it is a serious issue, it doesn\u2019t mean that your site is broken beyond repair. As we\u2019ll see in the solution section to this guide to understanding this WordPress database error, it can be fixed.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"As this database is where all of the WordPress website\u2019s content, settings, files, and more are stored, it\u2019s a pretty big problem if the site can\u2019t make the connection. However, even though it is a serious issue, it doesn\u2019t mean that your site is broken beyond repair. As we\u2019ll see in the solution section to this guide to understanding this WordPress database error, it can be fixed."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Unfortunately, though, the causes for this problem do vary and there\u2019s no one explanation for when your WordPress website can\u2019t connect to its database. Also, as there\u2019s no single cause for this problem, there isn\u2019t a single solution to the WordPress database error either.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Unfortunately, though, the causes for this problem do vary and there\u2019s no one explanation for when your WordPress website can\u2019t connect to its database. Also, as there\u2019s no single cause for this problem, there isn\u2019t a single solution to the WordPress database error either."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>However, there are some common causes of the WordPress database connection error that we\u2019ll quickly cover here before moving on to sharing some tips on how you can fix this issue.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"However, there are some common causes of the WordPress database connection error that we\u2019ll quickly cover here before moving on to sharing some tips on how you can fix this issue."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"incorrect-database-details\">Incorrect Database Details<\/h3>","content":"Incorrect Database Details","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>One common cause of this error is that the details which WordPress is using to connect to the database are incorrect, including the database name, username, and password.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"One common cause of this error is that the details which WordPress is using to connect to the database are incorrect, including the database name, username, and password."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If WordPress can\u2019t access the file that contains these details \u2013 the wp-config.php file \u2013 or the contents of that file doesn\u2019t match the credentials of the database, then you\u2019ll see the database connection error.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If WordPress can\u2019t access the file that contains these details \u2013 the wp-config.php file \u2013 or the contents of that file doesn\u2019t match the credentials of the database, then you\u2019ll see the database connection error."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Causes that could lead to this problem arising include changes to the database username or password that haven\u2019t been reflected in the wp-config.php file, or the renaming, deletion, or corruption of the wp-config.php file itself.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Causes that could lead to this problem arising include changes to the database username or password that haven\u2019t been reflected in the wp-config.php file, or the renaming, deletion, or corruption of the wp-config.php file itself."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"corrupted-database\">Corrupted Database<\/h3>","content":"Corrupted Database","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Another cause of this error could be the fact that the database has been corrupted or damaged in some way. If this happens, then WordPress might not be able to connect to it, producing the error establishing a database connection message to be displayed instead of the website and its content.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Another cause of this error could be the fact that the database has been corrupted or damaged in some way. If this happens, then WordPress might not be able to connect to it, producing the error establishing a database connection message to be displayed instead of the website and its content."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"overloaded-database-server\">Overloaded Database Server<\/h3>","content":"Overloaded Database Server","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Another cause of this issue can be that the server hosting the database is overloaded. When this happens, the files on the server can become unavailable, causing a connection error.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Another cause of this issue can be that the server hosting the database is overloaded. When this happens, the files on the server can become unavailable, causing a connection error."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>This cause is especially common if you\u2019re using cheap shared hosting for your WordPress website. With this type of hosting, multiple websites and their databases are stored on the same server, sharing the same resources and increasing the chances of an overload. Due to this, it might not be your website that\u2019s causing the problem, and instead, one of your neighbors on the same server.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"This cause is especially common if you\u2019re using cheap shared hosting for your WordPress website. With this type of hosting, multiple websites and their databases are stored on the same server, sharing the same resources and increasing the chances of an overload. Due to this, it might not be your website that\u2019s causing the problem, and instead, one of your neighbors on the same server."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>The good news is that if this is the cause, there\u2019s a chance the error will resolve itself, once the load on the server has reduced.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"The good news is that if this is the cause, there\u2019s a chance the error will resolve itself, once the load on the server has reduced."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"how-to-fix-a-wordpress-database-connection-error\">How to Fix a WordPress Database Connection Error<\/h2>","content":"How to Fix a WordPress Database Connection Error","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h2","fontSize":"27px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>While it\u2019s a big deal when a WordPress website is unable to connect to its database \u2013 mainly because the site becomes unavailable -- thankfully, it\u2019s often a problem that can be fixed.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"While it\u2019s a big deal when a WordPress website is unable to connect to its database \u2013 mainly because the site becomes unavailable -- thankfully, it\u2019s often a problem that can be fixed."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Although in many cases, you can fix this problem yourself, your first port of call should be your web hosting support desk. Most good web hosts have a priority support channel you can use if your website is unavailable, which it will be if the error establishing a database connection message is displayed. But whatever your level of service, get in touch with your web host help desk via the most responsive method, which is usually live chat or telephone.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Although in many cases, you can fix this problem yourself, your first port of call should be your web hosting support desk. Most good web hosts have a priority support channel you can use if your website is unavailable, which it will be if the error establishing a database connection message is displayed. But whatever your level of service, get in touch with your web host help desk via the most responsive method, which is usually live chat or telephone."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If you want to try and fix the problem yourself, the tips below should help you to solve this issue.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If you want to try and fix the problem yourself, the tips below should help you to solve this issue."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"don-t-forget-to-check-your-backups\">Don\u2019t Forget to Check Your Backups<\/h3>","content":"Don\u2019t Forget to Check Your Backups","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Before you start trying to fix this issue, make sure you have a working backup of your WordPress website and its database. If you\u2019ve been using one of <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/best-backup-plugins-for-your-wordpress-membership-site\/\">our recommended WordPress backup solutions<\/a>, then there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll already have an archive of your website to fall back on should something go wrong, or if you\u2019re unable to fix the database connection error. Your backup strategy should include testing your backups to ensure you\u2019re able to restore them when they\u2019re needed.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Before you start trying to fix this issue, make sure you have a working backup of your WordPress website and its database. If you\u2019ve been using one of <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/best-backup-plugins-for-your-wordpress-membership-site\/\">our recommended WordPress backup solutions<\/a>, then there\u2019s a good chance you\u2019ll already have an archive of your website to fall back on should something go wrong, or if you\u2019re unable to fix the database connection error. Your backup strategy should include testing your backups to ensure you\u2019re able to restore them when they\u2019re needed."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If you haven\u2019t been backing up your WordPress website, then you could try contacting your web host to see if they\u2019ve been taking backups of your site on your behalf.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If you haven\u2019t been backing up your WordPress website, then you could try contacting your web host to see if they\u2019ve been taking backups of your site on your behalf."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If there aren\u2019t any recent backups of your website, you could still be able to take one. While you won\u2019t be able to log in to the WordPress Dashboard to create a backup when you\u2019re seeing the database connection error message, you could create a backup at the server level, using the tools provided by your web host. These tools can often be found in the cPanel. Again, contact your web host if you\u2019re unsure about how to create a backup outside of WordPress.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If there aren\u2019t any recent backups of your website, you could still be able to take one. While you won\u2019t be able to log in to the WordPress Dashboard to create a backup when you\u2019re seeing the database connection error message, you could create a backup at the server level, using the tools provided by your web host. These tools can often be found in the cPanel. Again, contact your web host if you\u2019re unsure about how to create a backup outside of WordPress."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Any backups created after the database connection error has occurred will still contain the error, but at least if you make any mistakes while trying to fix the problem, you\u2019ll be able to roll back to when you created the backup and try again.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Any backups created after the database connection error has occurred will still contain the error, but at least if you make any mistakes while trying to fix the problem, you\u2019ll be able to roll back to when you created the backup and try again."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"fixing-the-wordpress-database-connection-error\">Fixing the WordPress Database Connection Error<\/h3>","content":"Fixing the WordPress Database Connection Error","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>So, now that you have your backup files somewhere safe and accessible, here are some of the ways it might be possible to fix the error establishing a database connection in WordPress issue.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"So, now that you have your backup files somewhere safe and accessible, here are some of the ways it might be possible to fix the error establishing a database connection in WordPress issue."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"incorrect-database-details\">Incorrect Database Details<\/h3>","content":"Incorrect Database Details","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>As mentioned earlier, if the details, such as the database name, username, and password, in the wp-config.php file don\u2019t match the actual details of your database, WordPress won\u2019t be able to connect to the database.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"As mentioned earlier, if the details, such as the database name, username, and password, in the wp-config.php file don\u2019t match the actual details of your database, WordPress won\u2019t be able to connect to the database."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>So to check if this mismatch is the cause of the error, you\u2019ll need to locate and open your wp-config.php file and check those details yourself. The wp-config.php file can be found in the root directory of your website on the server where it\u2019s hosted. To access that area, you\u2019ll need to log in to the server via FTP or use an online file manager to access the file.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"So to check if this mismatch is the cause of the error, you\u2019ll need to locate and open your wp-config.php file and check those details yourself. The wp-config.php file can be found in the root directory of your website on the server where it\u2019s hosted. To access that area, you\u2019ll need to log in to the server via FTP or use an online file manager to access the file."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/image","render":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager.png\" alt=\"File Manager\" class=\"wp-image-18310\"\/><\/figure>","content":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager.png","data":{"alt":"File Manager","src":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-File-Manager.png"},"style":{"width":1600,"height":892,"align":"left","parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If you\u2019re not sure how to do this, you\u2019ll need to find the documentation provided by your host, or contact their support staff.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If you\u2019re not sure how to do this, you\u2019ll need to find the documentation provided by your host, or contact their support staff."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/image","render":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP.png\" alt=\"FTP Server\" class=\"wp-image-18311\"\/><\/figure>","content":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP.png","data":{"alt":"FTP Server","src":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-FTP.png"},"style":{"width":1400,"height":832,"align":"left","parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Once you\u2019ve found the file, be sure to create a backup of it before making any changes. Once that\u2019s done, open the file for editing, by either downloading it from the server or through the file manager interface.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Once you\u2019ve found the file, be sure to create a backup of it before making any changes. Once that\u2019s done, open the file for editing, by either downloading it from the server or through the file manager interface."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>As the image below shows, the lines you\u2019re looking for start with \/\/ ** MySQL settings - You can get this info from your web host ** \/\/<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"As the image below shows, the lines you\u2019re looking for start with \/\/ ** MySQL settings - You can get this info from your web host ** \/\/"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/image","render":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing.png\" alt=\"MySQL WP-Config.php entry\" class=\"wp-image-18312\"\/><\/figure>","content":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing.png","data":{"alt":"MySQL WP-Config.php entry","src":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-Editing.png"},"style":{"width":1260,"height":442,"align":"left","parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>In that section of the wp-config.php file, you can see the following details:<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"In that section of the wp-config.php file, you can see the following details:"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/list","render":"<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The name of the database: DB_NAME<\/li><li>The database username: DB_USER<\/li><li>The database password: DB_PASSWORD<\/li><li>The database hostname: DB_HOST<\/li><\/ul>","content":"<ul class=\"wp-block-list\"><li>The name of the database: DB_NAME<\/li><li>The database username: DB_USER<\/li><li>The database password: DB_PASSWORD<\/li><li>The database hostname: DB_HOST<\/li><\/ul>","data":{"listType":"unordered"},"style":{"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Now you\u2019ll need to check that those details match the details for the database. To do so, you\u2019ll need to access the database. Your options here will be defined by your web host. But one popular way to access the database is through your web hosting control panel, such as via the phpMyAdmin tool found in the cPanel interface.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Now you\u2019ll need to check that those details match the details for the database. To do so, you\u2019ll need to access the database. Your options here will be defined by your web host. But one popular way to access the database is through your web hosting control panel, such as via the phpMyAdmin tool found in the cPanel interface."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/image","render":"<figure class=\"wp-block-image\"><img src=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools.png\" alt=\"cPanel Database tools\" class=\"wp-image-18313\"\/><\/figure>","content":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools.png","data":{"alt":"cPanel Database tools","src":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/06\/Database-Error-cPanel-Database-Tools.png"},"style":{"width":1550,"height":313,"align":"left","parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Once you\u2019ve launched phpMyAdmin to access the database, you need to confirm the details from the wp-config.php file that we just covered. This is perhaps the most difficult part of the process so it\u2019s best to refer to <a href=\"https:\/\/kinsta.com\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection\/\">this guide on the Kinsta blog<\/a> that covers how to check the credentials of your WordPress database to see if they match the details in your wp-config.php file.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Once you\u2019ve launched phpMyAdmin to access the database, you need to confirm the details from the wp-config.php file that we just covered. This is perhaps the most difficult part of the process so it\u2019s best to refer to <a href=\"https:\/\/kinsta.com\/blog\/error-establishing-a-database-connection\/\">this guide on the Kinsta blog<\/a> that covers how to check the credentials of your WordPress database to see if they match the details in your wp-config.php file."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If at this point you\u2019d rather seek support from your web host than proceed on your own, you can send the help desk staff the database details from your wp-config.php file to help them get started.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If at this point you\u2019d rather seek support from your web host than proceed on your own, you can send the help desk staff the database details from your wp-config.php file to help them get started."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"overloaded-database-server\">Overloaded Database Server<\/h3>","content":"Overloaded Database Server","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h3","fontSize":"21px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If the cause of your database connection error is an overloaded server, then there\u2019s a good chance the problem will resolve itself once the burden on the server has decreased.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If the cause of your database connection error is an overloaded server, then there\u2019s a good chance the problem will resolve itself once the burden on the server has decreased."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Unfortunately, there\u2019s no quick and easy way to determine if this is the cause of the error. While your Google Analytics data could reveal that your website is experiencing a surge in traffic, it could be one of the other websites hosted on the same server that is causing the overload.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Unfortunately, there\u2019s no quick and easy way to determine if this is the cause of the error. While your Google Analytics data could reveal that your website is experiencing a surge in traffic, it could be one of the other websites hosted on the same server that is causing the overload."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If you contact the support staff of your web host, they should be able to tell you if this is the cause of your issue.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If you contact the support staff of your web host, they should be able to tell you if this is the cause of your issue."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>If an overloaded server is causing downtime for your website, then it might be time to consider changing your hosting plan. One option would be upgrading to a higher plan with your current provider, or <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/how-to-choose-the-best-web-hosting-for-your-membership-site\/\">switching to a better web host<\/a>.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"If an overloaded server is causing downtime for your website, then it might be time to consider changing your hosting plan. One option would be upgrading to a higher plan with your current provider, or <a href=\"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/how-to-choose-the-best-web-hosting-for-your-membership-site\/\">switching to a better web host<\/a>."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/heading","render":"<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" id=\"final-thoughts\">Final Thoughts<\/h2>","content":"Final Thoughts","data":[],"style":{"align":"left","parent_style":{},"header":"h2","fontSize":"27px"}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Hopefully, this article has shed some light on the infamous error establishing a database connection problem that can affect WordPress websites from time to time.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Hopefully, this article has shed some light on the infamous error establishing a database connection problem that can affect WordPress websites from time to time."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>In most cases, your best option will be to contact your web host and instruct them to resolve the issue. However, the information in this article should have given you a better idea of what\u2019s caused the problem and some of the ways it can be fixed.&nbsp;<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"In most cases, your best option will be to contact your web host and instruct them to resolve the issue. However, the information in this article should have given you a better idea of what\u2019s caused the problem and some of the ways it can be fixed.&nbsp;"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p>Fixing your website yourself can be rewarding. But in most cases, its best left to the professionals.<\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"Fixing your website yourself can be rewarding. But in most cases, its best left to the professionals."}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}},{"type":"core\/paragraph","render":"<p><em>Has your website ever displayed the error establishing a database connection message? If so, what did you do to resolve it? Please let us know in the comments below. <\/em><\/p>","content":[{"type":"text","data":"<em>Has your website ever displayed the error establishing a database connection message? If so, what did you do to resolve it? Please let us know in the comments below. <\/em>"}],"data":[],"style":{"textAlign":"left","color":"","dropCap":false,"parent_style":{}}}],"app_access":{"can_access":true,"restrict_message":null},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18307","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2122"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18307"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18307\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/33261"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18307"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18307"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/memberpress.com\/de\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18307"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}