1:
dunno, haven't tested it myself yet. But i don't see a problem here.

2:
I have COM and connecting to a database through the internet works great (if not to say fantastic ^^).
To connect to an "off-site db" (as you name it) change "localhost" to "my-rootserver.ath.cx" (which points to your rootserver's ip. check out http://www.dyndns.org for more info). Instead of my-rootserver.ath.cx you could also write your rootserver's public ip (e.g. 173.16.232.85).
If you don't have a rootserver but webspace with a db then you have to ask your webspace-provider what your db's pub ip/rootdir is. That should also work (haven't tested it myself as i "only" have a rootserver )

Hope that helps you out