diff --git a/.envdev b/.envdev
index 34b3790..9abc3a8 100644
--- a/.envdev
+++ b/.envdev
@@ -3,6 +3,8 @@ WEB_PORT=3300
 WEB_ORIGIN=http://localhost:3001
 
 DB_HOSTNAME=localhost
+DB_PORTNAME=3306
+
 DB_DATABASE=chat
 DB_USERNAME=chat
 DB_PASSWORD=blastoise
diff --git a/configure-script.js b/configure-script.js
index d140d5c..1009c5e 100644
--- a/configure-script.js
+++ b/configure-script.js
@@ -33,6 +33,25 @@ const question = (prompt, def = null) => {
 	const appWebOrigin = await question('Web Origin', `https://example.com`); //TODO: clean these up properly
 	const appPort = await question('App Port', '3300');
 
+  //configure the database address
+  let dbLocation = '';
+  while (typeof dbLocation != 'string' || /^[le]/i.test(dbLocation[0]) == false) {
+    dbLocation = await question('[l]ocal or [e]xternal database?');
+  }
+
+  let appDBHost = '';
+  let appDBPort = '';
+
+  if (/^[l]/i.test(dbLocation[0])) {
+    appDBHost = 'database';
+    appDBPort = '3306';
+  }
+  else {
+    appDBHost = await question('DB Host');
+    appDBPort = await question('DB Port', '3306');
+  }
+
+  //configure the database account
 	const appDBUser = await question('DB User', appName);
 	const appDBPass = await question('DB Pass', 'blastoise');
 	const dbRootPass = await question('DB Root Pass');
@@ -61,20 +80,22 @@ services:
     environment:
       - WEB_PORT=${appPort}
       - WEB_ORIGIN=${appWebOrigin}
-      - DB_HOSTNAME=database
+      - DB_HOSTNAME=${appDBHost}
+      - DB_PORTNAME=${appDBPort}
       - DB_DATABASE=${appName}
       - DB_USERNAME=${appDBUser}
       - DB_PASSWORD=${appDBPass}
       - DB_TIMEZONE=Australia/Sydney
       - SECRET_ACCESS=${appSecretAccess}
     networks:
-      - app-network
+      - app-network${ appDBHost != 'database' ? '' : `
     depends_on:
       - database
   database:
     image: mariadb:latest
     environment:
       MYSQL_DATABASE: ${appName}
+      MYSQL_TCP_PORT: ${appDBPort}
       MYSQL_USER: ${appDBUser}
       MYSQL_PASSWORD: ${appDBPass}
       MYSQL_ROOT_PASSWORD: ${dbRootPass}
@@ -82,7 +103,7 @@ services:
       - app-network
     volumes:
       - ./mysql:/var/lib/mysql
-      - ./startup.sql:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/startup.sql:ro
+      - ./startup.sql:/docker-entrypoint-initdb.d/startup.sql:ro`}
   traefik_${appName}:
     container_name: ${appName}_traefik
     image: "traefik:v2.10"
diff --git a/package-lock.json b/package-lock.json
index cc315ff..34d0da8 100644
--- a/package-lock.json
+++ b/package-lock.json
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@
     "": {
       "name": "chat-server",
       "version": "1.5.1",
-      "license": "ISC",
+      "license": "Zlib",
       "dependencies": {
         "cors": "^2.8.5",
         "dotenv": "^16.4.5",
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index c5bfd90..b8f9fff 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
     "url": "git+https://github.com/krgamestudios/chat-server.git"
   },
   "author": "Kayne Ruse",
-  "license": "ISC",
+  "license": "Zlib",
   "bugs": {
     "url": "https://github.com/krgamestudios/chat-server/issues"
   },
diff --git a/server/database/index.js b/server/database/index.js
index d098b9f..9f9611c 100644
--- a/server/database/index.js
+++ b/server/database/index.js
@@ -2,11 +2,10 @@ const Sequelize = require('sequelize');
 
 const sequelize = new Sequelize(process.env.DB_DATABASE, process.env.DB_USERNAME, process.env.DB_PASSWORD, {
 	host: process.env.DB_HOSTNAME,
+	port: process.env.DB_PORTNAME,
 	dialect: 'mariadb',
 	timezone: process.env.DB_TIMEZONE,
 	logging: process.env.DB_LOGGING ? console.log : false
 });
 
-sequelize.sync();
-
 module.exports = sequelize;
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/server/server.js b/server/server.js
index 1d14fdc..0edc8fe 100644
--- a/server/server.js
+++ b/server/server.js
@@ -39,4 +39,5 @@ app.get('*', (req, res) => {
 server.listen(process.env.WEB_PORT || 3300, async (err) => {
 	await database.sync();
 	console.log(`listening to localhost:${process.env.WEB_PORT || 3300}`);
+	console.log(`database located at ${process.env.DB_HOSTNAME || '<default>'}:${process.env.DB_PORTNAME || '<default>'}`);
 });