MySQL Error 1153 - Got a packet bigger than 'max_allowed_packet' bytes

As michaelpryor said, you have to change it for both the client and the daemon mysqld server.

His solution for the client command-line is good, but the ini files don't always do the trick, depending on configuration.

So, open a terminal, type mysql to get a mysql prompt, and issue these commands:

set global net_buffer_length=1000000; 
set global max_allowed_packet=1000000000; 

Keep the mysql prompt open, and run your command-line SQL execution on a second terminal..

You probably have to change it for both the client (you are running to do the import) AND the daemon mysqld that is running and accepting the import.

For the client, you can specify it on the command line:

mysql --max_allowed_packet=100M -u root -p database < dump.sql

Also, change the my.cnf or my.ini file (usually found in /etc/mysql/) under the mysqld section and set:

max_allowed_packet=100M

or you could run these commands in a MySQL console connected to that same server:

set global net_buffer_length=1000000; 
set global max_allowed_packet=1000000000;

(Use a very large value for the packet size.)