You can run a free RTMP ingest server with SRS and publish to it from OBS. The server software can cost nothing; a public host, network service, electricity, and time spent administering it may not. For a local test, run SRS with Docker, point OBS at its RTMP address, then confirm receipt in VLC. A publicly reachable home server needs additional router, firewall, and access-control setup.
What “free RTMP server” means
RTMP is commonly used to send a live video feed from an encoder such as OBS to a server. In this setup, OBS publishes to your server; a player can then receive the stream through RTMP or another output protocol supported by the server. That is different from using a streaming service as the ingest destination.
The SRS project describes SRS 8.0 as free and MIT licensed. Its README recommends Docker and documents an OBS-to-SRS example. Those are project statements and examples, not independent performance measurements. The software fee may be zero, but hosting and operating an internet-facing server are separate matters.
OBS itself does not provide a server host. The OBS Project Help Portal explains: “There are no OBS servers – the connection goes directly from your computer to the streaming service.” Running SRS or another RTMP server is a separate self-hosting arrangement.
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Choose where to run the server
- On your own computer: Best for a contained test on the same machine or local network. It is not automatically reachable by viewers on the public internet.
- On a home server: Lets you host from home, but remote access requires network configuration, including router port forwarding and firewall rules. Your internet connection and host must remain available while streaming.
- On a rented server: Provides a public endpoint without maintaining a home machine, but hosting may cost money. The software can still be free.
The OBS private-hosting wiki identifies a dedicated server as a prerequisite for its workflow. That is one documented approach, not a requirement for a local SRS test.
Set up SRS with Docker
Use the current SRS project README and its linked getting-started documentation for installation and configuration. The README recommends Docker and provides an example command with the required ports. Follow the project’s current tag and configuration instructions rather than mixing version references: the README identifies SRS 8.0, while its example command uses an srs:6 image tag. Those labels should not be assumed to refer to the same release.
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- Install and start Docker on the machine that will host the server, following Docker’s instructions for your operating system.
- Use the SRS README’s current Docker command and its port mappings. Check the current project instructions for the intended image tag and configuration before running it; do not substitute a version based on the README’s separate SRS 8.0 label.
- Confirm the server is running and that its configured RTMP ingest port is reachable from the machine where OBS will publish. The SRS example uses RTMP on port 1935.
Exact commands and available configuration can change with the project’s releases. Refer to the SRS README and getting-started documentation rather than copying old commands from an unrelated tutorial.
Connect OBS and publish a test stream
For the documented local example, configure OBS as follows:
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- Open Settings → Stream.
- Set Service to Custom.
- Set Server to
rtmp://localhost/live. - Set Stream Key to
livestream. - Apply the settings, close the dialog, and select Start Streaming.
For a different machine, replace localhost with the server’s reachable address. The RTMP publish URL is assembled from the server address, application path, and stream key. In the example, that complete URL is rtmp://localhost/live/livestream. Keep the stream key private and use a strong, hard-to-guess value for any server exposed beyond your local test.
Verify that the stream arrives
Open VLC and use its network-stream playback option to open rtmp://localhost/live/livestream for the local example. If OBS is publishing and SRS is receiving it, VLC should play the stream. The server’s documented outputs also include HTTP-FLV and HLS URLs; consult the SRS getting-started instructions for the exact routes and WebRTC options for your chosen configuration.
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RTMP is the ingest path in this example, not necessarily the protocol your viewers must use. A server can accept an RTMP feed and make it available through a different output protocol, depending on its configuration.
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- Forward the ingest port: Configure your router to forward TCP port 1935 to the server on your home network, and allow the required traffic through the host firewall. Only open ports you need.
- Handle a changing home IP: Dynamic DNS can provide a stable hostname if your public IP address changes. The older nginx hosting tutorial discusses port forwarding and dynamic DNS as home-hosting considerations.
- Restrict who can publish: Treat stream keys as credentials. Use an unguessable key and, where supported, restrict publishing access to trusted IP addresses or another supported access-control mechanism.
- Keep the host maintained: An internet-facing service needs attention to updates, firewall configuration, and availability. A powered-off or disconnected home host cannot receive a stream.
The OBS private-hosting wiki’s example warns that its stream key is not private and demonstrates an IP whitelist approach. That describes the example configuration, not a universal property of RTMP servers. Do not assume your chosen server protects publishing access automatically.
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How SRS compares with other free-server routes
| Option | Setup path and protocols | Compatibility and documentation | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|
| SRS | Project README recommends Docker and documents OBS publishing and VLC playback. The project lists RTMP, WebRTC, HLS, HTTP-FLV, SRT, MPEG-DASH, and other protocols. | The project describes SRS 8.0 as cross-platform across listed Linux and macOS architectures. Use its current README and getting-started instructions. | A current documented route for an RTMP ingest server with multiple possible output protocols. |
| nginx-rtmp-module | The OBS community tutorial describes a basic RTMP application listening on port 1935, with OBS and VLC testing. | The tutorial was published and last updated in 2014; its sample nginx version and compile steps are stale. Consult current project and operating-system documentation before using it. | Understanding a simple nginx-based RTMP architecture or using the tutorial as historical background, not as current copy-and-paste installation guidance. |
| NGINX Plus RTMP module | F5 documents a packaged RTMP module for NGINX Plus. | NGINX Plus is a commercial option, not the free-software route described here. | Readers evaluating a commercial NGINX Plus deployment. |
These sources describe features and setup paths, not comparative performance benchmarks. They do not establish that one option delivers lower latency, supports more viewers, or performs better under load.
Common problems and fixes
- OBS cannot connect: Check that SRS is running, the server address is correct, and the configured RTMP port is reachable. For the local example, use
localhost; from another device, use the host’s reachable address instead. - OBS connects but the player is blank: Confirm OBS is actively streaming, the application path and key match the server configuration, and VLC is opening the composed URL
rtmp://localhost/live/livestreamfor the local example. - Local playback works but remote publishing fails: Check the router’s TCP 1935 forwarding, host firewall, and whether the hostname or public address points to the right host. A home network may also have a changing public IP.
- Unwanted publishers can access the server: Replace any guessable key and configure publishing restrictions supported by your server. An RTMP address and key should not be treated as public information.
- A copied nginx command does not work: The OBS community tutorial’s build steps are from 2014. Check current nginx/module and operating-system documentation instead of treating that tutorial’s versions or commands as current.
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