NGINX Stream Forwarder

A secure Docker-based NGINX stream forwarder that forwards RTMP streams to YouTube Live and Twitch, with stream key authentication, deployable on fly.io.

🔐 Stream Authentication

With this forwarder only streams with the correct key can publish!

Stream URL format: rtmp://<app_name>.fly.dev/live/<your-secret-key>

Features

• ✅ RTMP stream forwarding to YouTube Live and Twitch
• ✅ Stream key authentication for security
• ✅ Docker containerized with Hono-based auth service
• ✅ Ready for fly.io deployment
• ✅ Health checks and monitoring
• ✅ Multiple stream endpoints
• ✅ Automatic failover and scaling
• ✅ Real-time auth logging

Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

• A fly.io account
• YouTube Live streaming enabled on your YouTube channel
• Your YouTube Live stream key ready
• A computer with internet access

Setup Guide

Step 1: Install flyctl CLI

Install the fly.io command line tool to deploy. Windows (PowerShell):

pwsh -c "iwr https://fly.io/install.ps1 -useb | iex"

Alternative (using package managers):

# macOS with Homebrew
brew install flyctl

# Linux with snap
sudo snap install flyctl

Step 2: Login to fly.io

Authenticate with your fly.io account:

flyctl auth login

This will open your browser for authentication. Complete the login process.

Step 3: Get the Code

Clone or download this repository:

git clone <repository-url>
cd nginx-stream-forwarding

Or download and extract the ZIP file, then navigate to the folder.

Step 4: Configure Your App

1. Set a unique app name in fly.toml:

   app = "your-unique-stream-forwarder"  # Choose a unique name

2. Choose your deployment region (optional):

   primary_region = "iad"  # US East (default)
   # Other options: lax (US West), fra (Europe), nrt (Asia), etc.

Step 5: Set Stream Keys

Set your streaming platform keys and authentication key as secrets:

# Required: YouTube stream key
flyctl secrets set YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY="your-youtube-stream-key-here"

# Optional: Twitch stream key (if you want multi-platform streaming)
flyctl secrets set TWITCH_STREAM_KEY="your-twitch-stream-key-here"

# Optional: X (Twitter) stream key
flyctl secrets set X_STREAM_KEY="your-x-stream-key-here"

# Required: Your secure stream authentication key
flyctl secrets set STREAM_KEY="your-secure-stream-key-here"

Step 6: Deploy Your App

Deploy your stream forwarder:

flyctl launch --no-deploy
flyctl deploy

The --no-deploy flag creates the app without deploying, then flyctl deploy does the actual deployment.

Step 7: Verify Deployment

1. Check app status:

   flyctl status

2. View your app info:

   flyctl info

3. Test the health endpoint:

   curl https://your-app-name.fly.dev/health

Usage

Streaming to Your Forwarder

Once deployed, use this URL in your streaming software:

rtmp://your-app-name.fly.dev/live/your-stream-key

Important: Replace your-stream-key with the STREAM_KEY secret you set in Step 5. Only streams with the correct key will be accepted!

Streaming Software Configuration

OBS Studio

1. Go to Settings → Stream
2. Set Service to "Custom..."
3. Set Server to: rtmp://your-app.fly.dev/live/
4. Set Stream Key to: your-stream-key

FFmpeg

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c copy -f flv rtmp://your-app.fly.dev/live/your-stream-key

Architecture

[Your Streaming Software]
        ↓ RTMP
[nginx-stream-forwarder on fly.io]
        ↓ RTMP Forward
[YouTube Live & Twitch Servers]

Configuration

NGINX Configuration

The nginx.conf file contains:

• HTTP server for health checks (port 80)
• Stream forwarding servers (ports 1935, 1936)
• Upstream YouTube and Twitch RTMP servers
• Logging and monitoring

Fly.io Configuration

The fly.toml file defines:

• App settings and region
• Service ports (80, 1935, 1936)
• Resource allocation
• Health checks

Monitoring

• Health Check: https://your-app.fly.dev/health
• Status: https://your-app.fly.dev/
• Logs: flyctl logs

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Stream not connecting:

   • Verify your YouTube stream key is correct
   • Check if YouTube Live is enabled on your account
   • Ensure ports 1935/1936 are not blocked
   • Verify your STREAM_KEY matches what you set in secrets

2. Deployment fails:

   • Check flyctl is installed and up to date
   • Verify you're logged into fly.io
   • Ensure the app name in fly.toml is unique

3. Stream drops:

   • Check fly.io app logs: flyctl logs
   • Monitor network connectivity
   • Consider increasing VM resources in fly.toml

Viewing Logs

View real-time logs:

flyctl logs

View nginx access logs:

flyctl ssh console
tail -f /var/log/nginx/stream.log

Customization

Add More Streaming Platforms

Edit nginx.conf to add more upstream servers:

if [[ -n "$X_STREAM_KEY" ]]; then
  echo "            push rtmp://va.pscp.tv:80/x/$X_STREAM_KEY;" >> /etc/nginx/nginx.conf
fi

Change Regions

Edit fly.toml to change deployment region:

primary_region = "fra"  # Frankfurt
# Other options: lax, ord, lhr, nrt, syd, etc.

Update Resources

Modify VM resources in fly.toml:

flyctl machines update <machine-id> --cpus 1 --memory 1024

License

MIT License - feel free to modify and use for your streaming needs!