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If TablePlus stops connecting to a DigitalOcean managed database after your public IP changes, first check whether the new client address is on the database’s trusted-source list. A stale allowlist entry is a documented possible cause of a refused connection—not a confirmed explanation for every failure. Then verify the database hostname and port before changing anything else.
1. Check the database’s trusted sources
When you connect directly from a home or office network, the public IP address seen by the database may change. If the new address is not allowed, the database can reject the connection. DigitalOcean lists trusted-source membership and port configuration among the checks for a connection-refused error: DigitalOcean’s connection-refused troubleshooting guide.
- Open the DigitalOcean control panel and select the managed database.
- Find its trusted sources or network access settings and check whether your current public client IP is allowed.
- If you connect directly and the address has changed, add the current client IP as a trusted source, keeping access limited to the source you need.
- Retry the connection in TablePlus.
DigitalOcean describes trusted sources as a way to restrict which external IP addresses or DigitalOcean resources can access a managed database. Its PostgreSQL security guide also covers managing trusted-source rules through the CLI or API: DigitalOcean PostgreSQL security guidance. That guide is PostgreSQL-specific; check the documentation for your database engine before assuming its exact controls apply.
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In TablePlus, compare the connection’s host and port with the connection details for the database in DigitalOcean. Do not confuse the database server’s address with your client’s public IP: the client IP is what may need to be allowlisted, while the host identifies the database endpoint.
Use the database hostname rather than a saved server IP where possible. DigitalOcean notes that a database IP can change even when its hostname remains stable. That hostname advice is separate from allowlisting your client’s public IP; changing the host field will not by itself authorize a client that is missing from trusted sources. See DigitalOcean’s connection-refused troubleshooting guide.
3. Choose direct access or an SSH tunnel
| Approach | What to configure | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Direct connection with trusted-source allowlisting | Allow the client’s current public IP in the database’s trusted sources; use the database hostname and correct port. | Simple when connecting from your own network, but an IP change may require updating the allowed source. |
| TablePlus over SSH | Configure TablePlus to connect “Over SSH” through an authorized server that can reach the database. | Requires an SSH host with the right network access and database permissions; it is not a fix unless that route is properly authorized. |
TablePlus documents direct connection setup and its built-in SSH option in its connection guide. For an SSH connection, its tunnel article describes entering 127.0.0.1 as the database host in the connection settings: TablePlus SSH tunnel guide. Confirm the current interface and settings, since that article was published on 2019-08-27.
4. If the connection still fails
Work through these checks rather than opening database access broadly:
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- Port: Match the port in the database connection details.
- Engine: Confirm the TablePlus connection type matches the database engine.
- Trusted source: For a direct connection, check that the current client IP—not the database server’s IP—is allowed.
- Connection route: Establish whether TablePlus connects directly or over SSH. For SSH, confirm the selected server can reach the database and has the required authorization.
DigitalOcean’s PostgreSQL guidance supports restricting access to trusted sources rather than allowing unrestricted incoming connections. Keep the rule limited to the source your setup requires.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.What this troubleshooting can—and cannot—establish
A changing public IP and a stale trusted-source rule are a plausible explanation for this symptom, and DigitalOcean documents that a client outside the trusted-source list can encounter a connection-refused error. The title alone does not establish the database engine, operating system, connection route, or which change resolved the original incident. Treat allowlist, endpoint, port, and tunnel checks as troubleshooting steps, not as a verified account of a specific fix.
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