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Push tokens through stream keys

What is live streaming with tokens​

Live streaming with tokens allows you to give your streamers some security in their RTMP/SRT/WebRTC push url while at the same time allowing for a more user friendly stream name for viewers/channels. The default for RTMP is that the stream name returns in the push url. While handy this does open it up for people to "hijack" the stream as the push url is easily guessed.

Using tokens allows you to use complicated stream keys to push, while keeping the stream name within MistServer easy to use & user friendly. With MistServer 3.7 you can now use the stream keys feature to do this from a simple interface.

Requirements​

  • MistServer 3.7+
  1. Setting up a stream key
  2. (Optional) Setting up a stream to only allow stream key pushes
  3. Pushing to the stream key using RTMP
  4. Pushing to the stream key using SRT
  5. Pushing to the stream key using WebRTC
tip

For the examples below we will be assuming MistServer is running on its default protocols 1935 for RTMP, 8889 for SRT and 8080 for HTTP. If you are using different ports please make sure you will have to add or adjust the port numbers.

1. Setting up a stream key​

Setting up a stream key can be done from the streams panel. You should find a stream key button at the top of the page:

Image of button to click to access the stream keys interface

From there we can create a stream key and have MistServer generate a token. A stream key does not need to be created for a stream name that is configured within MistServer. That stream will then be created on the fly using MistServers default live stream configurations. This is most likely good for most users.

Generate a stream key with the given stream name

You can click on the stream key to copy it copy the stream key

Or we can click on the stream name and configure the stream for the optional step 2. configure the stream

2. (Optional) Setting up a stream to only allow stream key pushes​

If you come here from Step by clicking the stream name and pressing the create stream button you'll notice that all information is already set up. Even the stream key information, though it is hidden at a tab that you can unfold. When you do you'll see something like this:

Configured stream key stream

Should this be your starting point you will have to fill in all information. You will need to fill in push:// as a source as otherwise you won't get access to the stream key tab.

You can now set any optional parameters as well. Should you later use this stream name to point wildcard streams towards they will inherit these settings as well.

3. Pushing to the stream key using RTMP​

For this example we'll use OBS, but the steps to follow should be comparable with any other application capable of pushing RTMP.

All you need to do is fill in the stream key instead of the stream name:

  • URL: rtmp://mistserveraddress/live/
  • Stream key: 9p6iKigoFluD1WcUeRtp3pNTxpvp0fMQ

Picture of OBS pushing configuration for RTMP push to stream key

Once you start streaming you should see your stream active both in the stream keys panel and the streams panel.

Stream key active in the stream keys tab

Stream key active in the streams tab

When a stream is not set up it will be colored blue. This means it'll exist for as long as the stream is live. Afterwards it will remove itself from the list. You can right click and create the stream to make the set up permanent, but it isn't needed.

tip

Some applications might not have a stream key field, in that case just add a / and the stream key to give it the full RTMP address:

  • Full address: rtmp://mistserveraddress/live/9p6iKigoFluD1WcUeRtp3pNTxpvp0fMQ

4. Pushing to the stream key using SRT​

For SRT you'll need to make sure you target the stream key using the streamid parameter from the SRT protocol. using the example that would be:

srt://mistserveraddress:8889?streamid=9p6iKigoFluD1WcUeRtp3pNTxpvp0fMQ

For OBS you will want nothing filled in the stream key field.

Picture of OBS pushing configuration for SRT push to stream key

warning

If there is a passphrase set up for the SRT protocol within the MistServer protocols tab you will still need to include this as this is the passphrase to allow the SRT connection to be made. Stream keys will not be able to bypass this.

5. pushing to the stream key using WebRTC​

For WebRTC you'll need to target the HTTP or HTTPS port. And use the following syntax: http://mistserveraddress:8080/webrtc/9p6iKigoFluD1WcUeRtp3pNTxpvp0fMQ or https://mistserveraddress:5544/webrtc/9p6iKigoFluD1WcUeRtp3pNTxpvp0fMQ (Want to know how to set up HTTP? Look here!)

Picture of OBS pushing configuration for WebRTC push to stream key

tip

Sometimes the stream key used could be going through something that removes upper/lower case. If you spot a stream key not working try making one with only lower case!