[!--quoteo(post=370300:date=May 2 2006, 02:07 AM:name=fenway)--][div class=\'quotetop\']QUOTE(fenway @ May 2 2006, 02:07 AM) [snapback]370300[/snapback][/div][div class=\'quotemain\'][!--quotec--] I don't think so -- but in general, you shouldn't need to change this size, which is usually set rather conservatively. If this has to do with storing binary data, then there are other, more desirable workarounds. Please clarify. [/quote] Yes, I'm trying to store binary data in the database, namely files whose individual file sizes are greater than the max_allowed_packet. Currently, storing smaller files has been no problem at all. It seemed like there should be better ways to get around the problem, but I had no idea where to begin looking, so the tutorials/forum threads I did find were all related to increasing max_allowed_packet.