$db_host = 'localhost';
$db_user = 'username';
$db_pass = 'password';
$db_database = 'database_name';
$con = mysql_connect($db_host, $db_user, $db_password) or die('Unable to connect to DB');
mysql_select_db($db_database, $con);
if (!mysql_ping($con))
{
echo 'Lost connection';
exit;
}