how do i connect to a remote mysql database using node? - mysql

Question

i have a node application that is duplicated both on the server (digital ocean) as well as my local machine. im trying to configure the local version so that i can use it as a 'sandbox' environment to make changes and edits before i push the update to the live application on the server.
the databaseconnection.js file contains the following.
const mysql = require('mysql');
function getConnection() {
return mysql.createPool({
connectionLimit: 100,
host: 'ipaddress',
port: 3306,
user: 'forge',
password: 'password',
database: 'mydatabase',
multipleStatements: true
});
}
module.exports = getConnection();
when i access the node application that is stored on the DO server, everything run fine, however, when i try to run it from my localhost environment, i get the following error.
Error: connect ETIMEDOUT
at PoolConnection.Connection._handleConnectTimeout (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\mysql\lib\Connection.js:409:13)
at Object.onceWrapper (events.js:286:20)
at Socket.emit (events.js:198:13)
at Socket._onTimeout (net.js:442:8)
at ontimeout (timers.js:436:11)
at tryOnTimeout (timers.js:300:5)
at listOnTimeout (timers.js:263:5)
at Timer.processTimers (timers.js:223:10)
--------------------
at Protocol._enqueue (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\mysql\lib\protocol\Protocol.js:144:48)
at Protocol.handshake (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\mysql\lib\protocol\Protocol.js:51:23)
at PoolConnection.connect (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\mysql\lib\Connection.js:116:18)
at Pool.getConnection (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\mysql\lib\Pool.js:48:16)
at Pool.query (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\mysql\lib\Pool.js:202:8)
at Strategy.passport.use.OutlookStrategy [as _verify] (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\config\passport-setup.js:58:18)
at C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\passport-oauth2\lib\strategy.js:202:24
at Request._callback (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\passport-outlook\lib\strategy.js:157:5)
at Request.self.callback (C:\MAMP\htdocs\WIGHTcloudDEV\node_modules\request\request.js:185:22)
at Request.emit (events.js:198:13)
i slightly remember doing something with either ssh2 or tunnel forwarder in the past that pertained to this issue but i cant find any of my old files nor can i find anything online that clearly shows what im missing.