Alex had used localhost as the server, but PostgreSQL was on a remote host. Worse, the firewall blocked port 5432. After opening the port and using the correct IP, the connection test succeeded.
Even after correct install, the DSN didn’t work. The error: "Could not connect to server: Permission denied."
Alex, a data analyst, needed to connect Tableau (on Windows) to a PostgreSQL database running on a Linux server. IT said, "Just use ODBC." postgres odbc download
Alex searched "PostgreSQL ODBC download" and clicked the first result: a generic postgresql-odbc-16.00.exe . Downloaded, installed, but Tableau kept saying "Driver not found."
Alex had downloaded the 64-bit driver, but Tableau was running in 32-bit mode on that machine. ODBC drivers are not interchangeable between bitness. Alex had used localhost as the server, but
In Tableau, the "PostgreSQL Unicode" driver appeared. Connection worked. Dashboards loaded.
Here’s a short, useful story that walks through the practical reality of downloading and setting up the PostgreSQL ODBC driver—something many people assume is trivial, but often isn’t. The Case of the Missing Driver Even after correct install, the DSN didn’t work
After 30 minutes of frustration, Alex found the official PostgreSQL ODBC page: https://www.postgresql.org/ftp/odbc/versions/msi/