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Before you start
- A running Wowza Streaming Engine installation and access to Engine Manager.
- The camera’s RTSP stream URI from its manual or manufacturer documentation. Camera makers use proprietary URL syntax, so there is no universal address that works for every camera.
- The camera’s username and password, if its RTSP feed is protected.
- A player such as VLC for checking the source feed independently of Wowza.
Wowza’s current guide, “Re-stream video from an IP camera (RTSP/RTP re-streaming)”, was updated September 30, 2026. The steps below follow its Wowza Streaming Engine workflow.
How do I stream an IP camera to Wowza?
- Create a live application. In Engine Manager, create or select the live application that will receive the camera feed.
- Enable the playback types you need. Configure the application for the formats your viewers’ players use. Wowza lists MPEG-DASH, HLS, RTMP, and RTSP/RTP as playback options. After changing playback or security settings, restart the application as directed by the guide.
- Get the camera’s RTSP URI. Look up the stream address for your exact camera model in its manual. Do not assume a URL pattern shown for another manufacturer will work.
- Add a Stream File. In Engine Manager, add a Stream File using the camera’s RTSP URI. If the camera requires authentication, use the camera’s credentials in the source URI or the method specified by its documentation.
- Connect the file to the application. Configure the Stream File’s MediaCaster Type as
rtp, then connect it to your live application. Usertp-recordinstead only when you intend to record the stream to a file at the same time. - Verify the incoming feed. Open the application’s Incoming Streams view. Confirm the stream shows Active, and check its uptime and throughput.
- Test viewer playback. Use Test Playback to obtain a playback URL, then open it in a player that supports the playback type you enabled.
Check the camera feed before debugging Wowza
Open the camera’s RTSP URI directly in VLC first. In VLC, inspect Codec Information to see what the camera is actually sending. Wowza’s guide lists H.264/AVC1/MPEG4 Part 10 or H.265/HEVC video, and AAC or MP3 audio, as its format guidance. This is not a guarantee that every combination will work with every player. If the source uses an unsupported format, transcode it before sending it to Engine.
This independent check helps separate a camera-side problem—such as a wrong address, credentials, or codec—from an Engine application or playback configuration issue.
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Keep camera credentials separate from Wowza publishing credentials
There can be two different authentication checks. The camera’s RTSP source may require the camera account’s login. Separately, Wowza says RTSP/RTP encoders publishing to Engine require a source username and password by default; those credentials are configured under Source Authentication in Engine Manager. See Wowza’s documentation for configuring source authentication and source authentication for RTSP/RTP publishers. Do not confuse the credentials for accessing the camera with the credentials for publishing to Wowza.
Troubleshoot common connection problems
The stream file will not connect
- Recheck the RTSP URI against the manual for the exact camera model; manufacturers use different URL syntax.
- Confirm the camera account and stream path. If the feed is protected, verify the camera credentials separately from Wowza’s source-authentication credentials.
- Open the URI in VLC to determine whether the camera feed is reachable and readable before changing Engine settings.
The camera connects, but playback fails or has no usable audio or video
Inspect Codec Information in VLC. Compare the camera’s formats with Wowza’s listed H.264/AVC1/MPEG4 Part 10 or H.265/HEVC video and AAC or MP3 audio guidance. If the format is unsupported, transcode the feed before sending it to Engine. Also confirm that the playback type you are testing is enabled in the application and supported by the player.
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The camera cannot use RTSP/RTP interleaved transport
If the camera cannot use RTSP/RTP interleaved transport (RTP over TCP), Wowza documents setting the application property RTPTransportMode to udp. This is an application-wide setting: it affects all streams delivered by that application, not only the camera you are troubleshooting. Consider that scope before changing it.
A camera behind NAT advertises a private address
For Wowza Streaming Engine 4.12.0 and later, Wowza documents the per-Stream-File setting rtspIgnoreAdvertisedHost. It uses the host and port from the configured URI instead of the host and port advertised by the camera, while preserving the URI’s path, query, and scheme details as described in the guide. Check the guide’s instructions for the exact configuration.
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The stream repeatedly disconnects and reconnects
Wowza documents rtspValidationFrequency as a way to disable periodic RTSP/RTP validation for cameras that disconnect during validation. Diagnose the disconnect pattern before using it: this application property applies to all streams in the application, so changing it can affect other sources as well.
Wowza Streaming Engine and Wowza Video are different workflows
The procedure above is for Wowza Streaming Engine, which receives the camera source in an application you manage. Wowza also has a separate hosted-service article titled “Connect an IP camera to Wowza Video Legacy”, updated February 8, 2024. That page is explicitly labeled Legacy, so check current service availability and interface before relying on it.
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The legacy Video page describes selecting IP Camera as the source, entering a publicly accessible camera URL, matching the input resolution, starting the stream, and checking its preview. It recommends a keyframe interval of 60 fps for NTSC or 50 fps for PAL. Those figures are that legacy guide’s instruction, not a universal setting for every camera or a replacement for the camera manufacturer’s configuration guidance.
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StreamNeo is a separate option for keeping a YouTube channel live with uploaded videos; it does not take a live camera feed and is not a Wowza replacement. Upload a recording or build a playlist, add your YouTube stream key once, and go live. The cloud keeps the uploaded video looping without a computer, OBS, or home connection staying on. It supports any uploaded quality up to 4K 60fps at one flat price per slot, automatically recovers if YouTube drops the stream, and includes a first day free with no card. Monthly pricing is $9.99 per month. See StreamNeo for details, then start your free day.
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