To send a live stream through an Ubuntu server to YouTube, build NGINX with the third-party nginx-rtmp-module, configure an RTMP application on the server, and have that application forward to the RTMPS address and stream key shown in YouTube Live Control Room. The encoder connects to your Ubuntu server; the YouTube stream key is used only on the server’s outbound connection.
This guide covers the Open Source, community-module route. It is a source build, not an instruction to install the ordinary Ubuntu nginx package and assume RTMP directives are included. Commands below are an illustrative build workflow, not a tested recipe for every Ubuntu release or NGINX version. Match the module to the exact NGINX source/build you intend to run.
Choose the right NGINX RTMP route
nginx-rtmp-module is a third-party module. For NGINX Open Source, its documented route is to compile NGINX with the module, either statically or, where supported, as a dynamic module. NGINX cautions that third-party module stability is not guaranteed. A prebuilt NGINX binary and a module built against a different NGINX version are not interchangeable by default.
| Route | Workflow | Best fit |
|---|---|---|
| NGINX Open Source plus community module | Build NGINX from source with the module; static linking is the straightforward route documented by the module project. A compatible dynamic build is another option when supported. | Operators who want the Open Source stack and can manage source builds and upgrades. |
| NGINX Plus RTMP module | NGINX documents nginx-plus-module-rtmp as a package from the official NGINX Plus repository. |
Operators already using NGINX Plus. It is not a generic package for Ubuntu’s ordinary Open Source NGINX installation. |
The module README describes the source-build approach. Its master branch is not a version pin, so choose a module revision deliberately and keep it compatible with the NGINX source. The module’s getting-started wiki lists build utilities including build-essential, PCRE development files, SSL development files, Git, and zlib development files; that guide was last modified on 2020-03-23, so verify package names and build requirements for your Ubuntu release rather than treating its old version example as current.
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Prepare the Ubuntu host and matching source
Use an Ubuntu host that can accept an inbound connection from your encoder and make an outbound TLS connection to YouTube. It may be a server you already operate or an always-on hosted machine. Before building, record your Ubuntu release and the NGINX version you intend to run. Obtain the NGINX source and the module source from their respective project-maintained distribution channels, and do not substitute an unrelated system binary after compiling.
- Install build prerequisites. On Ubuntu, refresh package metadata and install the compiler/build tools and development libraries required by the chosen NGINX source and module. The module’s older getting-started guide names
build-essential, PCRE, SSL, Git, and zlib development packages; confirm the exact package names for your release before runningapt install. - Unpack the chosen NGINX source and module source. Keep both source trees accessible. Select a released NGINX version and a compatible module revision rather than relying on a floating branch for a production installation.
- Configure the build from the NGINX source directory. The module README’s static-build pattern is
./configure --add-module=/path/to/nginx-rtmp-module. Replace the path with the actual module source directory. Preserve any configure options required by your deployment; the resulting binary should be the one you install and run. - Compile and install. Run
makeand thenmake installfrom the configured NGINX source directory, following the layout and service-management approach appropriate to your host. These steps do not automatically replace or safely integrate with every Ubuntu-packaged NGINX installation. - Verify which binary will run. Check the service configuration and executable path so you do not start a different NGINX binary that lacks the RTMP module. If you choose a dynamic build instead, the module must be compatible and loaded through NGINX configuration.
NGINX’s Open Source documentation distinguishes static third-party modules, configured with --add-module=<PATH>, from dynamic modules, configured with --add-dynamic-module=<PATH> where the module supports that mode. Dynamic modules require a corresponding load_module directive and a compatible NGINX build. For a first installation, the module project’s documented static route avoids the extra loading step.
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Configure a local RTMP application and YouTube relay
The local publishing address follows the form rtmp://host/app/name. The app portion must correspond to an application {} block in the RTMP configuration. In a relay, the encoder publishes to that local application; the application forwards the incoming stream to YouTube’s RTMPS endpoint using the stream key for the intended YouTube stream.
Add an RTMP configuration in the context supported by your NGINX build, commonly an rtmp {} block in the main configuration. This example shows the relationship between the local application and the outbound YouTube destination; replace the placeholders with values from your own YouTube Live Control Room:
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rtmp {
server {
listen 1935;
chunk_size 4096;
application live {
live on;
record off;
push rtmps://YOUTUBE_RTMPS_HOST/YOUTUBE_APP/YOUTUBE_STREAM_KEY;
}
}
}The destination above is a structural example, not a universal YouTube URL. Use the exact RTMPS URL YouTube provides for the specific stream and append or place the stream key exactly as required by that destination format. Keep the key private: do not commit it to a public repository, paste it into a public support post, or expose it in a shared configuration. Restrict access to the server configuration and rotate the key in YouTube if it is disclosed.
The record off; setting is included because local recording is not needed for a basic relay. HLS, DASH, recording, and FFmpeg integration are optional capabilities of the module, not prerequisites for forwarding a live stream.
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Open the network path carefully
- Allow inbound TCP on the port where NGINX listens for RTMP (1935 in the example) only from the encoder’s address or trusted network when possible.
- Allow the Ubuntu host to make outbound TLS connections to YouTube. The outbound connection is distinct from the encoder’s local RTMP connection.
- Do not expose an unauthenticated publishing endpoint to the public internet without considering who can publish to it. Use network restrictions and an appropriate access-control design for your environment.
- If the server is behind a firewall, cloud security group, or NAT gateway, check that the inbound rule and any forwarding point to the Ubuntu host. The encoder’s RTMP URL must use a reachable address for that host.
Find the current YouTube RTMPS URL and key
- Open YouTube Live Control Room and select or create the stream you intend to relay.
- Open that stream’s settings and locate the stream key. Copy the key for this stream; do not reuse a key by guesswork.
- In Stream settings, use the lock control to reveal the RTMPS URL, then copy the address YouTube displays.
- Put the RTMPS destination and key into the server-side forwarding configuration, keeping the key out of public source control.
YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP over a TLS/SSL connection. Do not replace the Control Room destination with a guessed universal endpoint: use the address for the specific stream.
Validate, start, and test the relay
- Check the configuration before applying it. Run
nginx -tusing the exact NGINX binary and configuration path that the service will use. Correct syntax errors before reload or restart. - Start or reload the matching NGINX service. Use the service mechanism and configuration path for your installation. Confirm the running process is the NGINX build that includes RTMP support.
- Set the encoder destination. In OBS, choose a custom streaming server and set the server to
rtmp://YOUR_UBUNTU_HOST/live; set the stream name/key to a unique local name such astest. The URL’sliveapp must match the configuration’sapplication live. Do not put the YouTube key in OBS for this relay setup. - Publish a private or unlisted test. Start the encoder and inspect YouTube’s live preview and status in Live Control Room before making the stream public.
- Check both legs if it fails. Read the NGINX error log for local listener, configuration, or push errors, and check YouTube Live Control Room for ingest status. A successful encoder connection to NGINX does not prove that the server has connected to YouTube.
Troubleshoot the common failure points
| Symptom | Likely cause | What to check |
|---|---|---|
NGINX reports an unknown rtmp directive. |
The running binary was built without the module, or a dynamic module was not loaded. | Confirm the service uses the intended build. For a dynamic module, verify the compatible module file and load_module directive. |
| Encoder cannot connect to the local server. | Wrong host, application path, listener port, firewall rule, or service. | Check that the encoder can reach the Ubuntu host, NGINX is listening on the configured port, the network permits the connection, and the URL app name matches the application {} block. |
| Encoder connects, but YouTube receives no stream. | The outbound RTMPS destination or stream key is wrong, or the Ubuntu host cannot reach YouTube. | Re-copy the exact RTMPS URL and key from the selected stream’s settings; inspect NGINX logs and YouTube’s live preview separately. |
| YouTube reports an SSL or secure-connection error. | The destination may use the wrong protocol or a TLS connection cannot be established. | Confirm the URL starts with rtmps. YouTube’s troubleshooting guidance says trying port 443 may help with some SSL errors; use it only where it fits the URL and network configuration YouTube provides. |
| Configuration test passes but reload fails or no RTMP listener appears. | The test, reload, and running service may be using different binaries or configuration files. | Use the same executable and config path for validation and service operation, then inspect service status and logs. |
| YouTube preview is live, but the stream is blocked or removed. | The content or channel may trigger YouTube policy or copyright enforcement. | Use content you have rights to stream and review YouTube’s current live-stream and copyright rules. Technical relay success does not grant permission to broadcast material. |
Account for copyright and reused content
A relay only transports the encoder’s signal; it does not establish that you own or may broadcast the material. Use original content or content for which you have the necessary rights, including rights to music, game footage, and other included media. YouTube may apply its own copyright and channel policies regardless of whether the video is sent directly or through NGINX. A stream that loops prerecorded material also remains subject to YouTube’s rules and monetization policies; technical availability is not an approval of reused content.
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