mod_auth_mysql problem :-(

I have spent the past 2 days trying to get our web server to authenticate using a mysql server on the same box, and finally got it working. But when we try to get our second web server box to authenticate off of the same mysql server, we keep on getting:
[Tue Aug 22 15:46:48 2000] [error] MySQL auth: connect failed: Access denied for user: 'root@' (Using password: YES)

I have verified that the mysql server allows connection from root on the second web server, since we were able to connect to the server using mysql client on the second box.

Our .htaccess file is like this:

Auth_MySQL_DB http_auth
Auth_MYSQL on
Auth_MySQL_Password_Table mysql_auth
mysql_auth_groups
AuthName "Our Authentication"
AuthType Basic

<Limit GET POST PUT>
require valid-user
</Limit>

and apache was compiled with mod_auth_mysql, with the following line inserted to httpd.conf file:
Auth_MySQL_Info 123.456.789.1 root secretpass

I have run out of options. Any help is greatly appreciated!

Stephen