var mysql = require('mysql');
var db = mysql.createConnection({host:'x', user:'x', password:'x', database:'x', charset:'UTF8_GENERAL_CI'});
db.connect();
var http = require('http');
var server = http.createServer(function(req,res){
    req.setEncoding("utf8");
    }).listen(8080);
var io = require('socket.io').listen(server);

function onRequest(request, response) {

  ...

  request.setEncoding("utf8");

  ...
}

http.createServer(onRequest).listen(8888);

function encode_utf8(s) {
  return unescape(encodeURIComponent(s));
}

function decode_utf8(s) {
  return decodeURIComponent(escape(s));
}

decodeURIComponent(escape(name));