Stream OBS Studio to Local Network via UDP

This article provides a straightforward, step-by-step guide on how to configure OBS Studio to broadcast a live video stream directly to another computer on your local area network (LAN) using the UDP protocol. You will learn how to configure the custom streaming settings in OBS and how to open and view the incoming stream on a receiving device using a media player like VLC.

Step 1: Find the Destination IP Address

Before configuring OBS, you need the local IP address of the computer that will receive the stream. 1. On the receiving computer, open the command line prompt (cmd on Windows, Terminal on macOS/Linux). 2. Type ipconfig (Windows) or ip a (Linux/macOS) and press Enter. 3. Locate your local IPv4 address (it usually looks like 192.168.1.X or 10.0.0.X). Note this address down.

Step 2: Configure OBS Studio for UDP Streaming

Next, you must set up OBS Studio on the broadcasting computer to send the video feed directly to the target IP address. 1. Open OBS Studio. 2. Click on Settings in the bottom right corner, then select the Stream tab on the left menu. 3. Click the Service dropdown menu and select Custom…. 4. In the Server field, enter the UDP destination URL using the following format: udp://[Destination_IP_Address]:[Port]?pkt_size=1316 Replace [Destination_IP_Address] with the IP you found in Step 1, and choose a port number like 9999. For example: udp://192.168.1.50:9999?pkt_size=1316 5. Leave the Stream Key field completely blank. 6. Click Apply and then OK.

Note: The pkt_size=1316 parameter is recommended as it optimizes the MPEG-TS packet size for standard network transmission, reducing packet fragmentation.

Step 3: Optimize Video and Encoder Settings

Because UDP does not have error correction, optimizing your bitrate and latency settings ensures a smoother stream. 1. Go back to Settings and click on the Output tab. 2. Set the Output Mode to Advanced. 3. Under the Streaming tab, select your encoder (such as x264 or hardware encoders like NVIDIA NVENC). 4. Set the Rate Control to CBR (Constant Bitrate) and choose a bitrate appropriate for your local network speed (e.g., 4000 Kbps to 6000 Kbps for 1080p). 5. Set the Tune option to Zero Latency (if using x264 or NVENC) to minimize delay. 6. Click OK to save settings.

Step 4: Start the Broadcast

Set up your scenes and sources in OBS Studio as you normally would. Once your presentation or video is ready, click the Start Streaming button on the main OBS control panel. OBS is now sending raw video packets to the designated IP address and port over your local network.

Step 5: Receive the Stream on the Destination Computer

To watch the stream on the receiving computer, you can use VLC media player, which natively supports UDP streams. 1. Open VLC media player on the receiving computer. 2. Click on Media in the top menu and select Open Network Stream… (or press Ctrl+N). 3. In the network URL box, enter the receiving UDP address: udp://@:[Port] Replace [Port] with the port number you defined in OBS (e.g., udp://@:9999). The @ symbol tells VLC to listen to all network interfaces on that port. 4. Click Play.

After a brief buffering period of one to two seconds, the live feed from OBS Studio will display on the screen.