How to Improve Apache Streaming

When running a Web server with Apache, or alternatively, renting a server that uses Apache, you do not have any native streaming capabilities. While plugins can be enabled on a client-side level, if you want to improve the native capabilities of Apache streaming you can install the multimedia plugin. There is only one streaming plugin of this kind for Apache, which allows for streaming of Flash video (FLV) and MPEG-4 (mp4).

Instructions

1. Open the Terminal on your computer or server running Apache. If this is a remote connection, you must have shell access via the secure shell (SSH).

2. Type "sudo apt-get install apache2-threaded-dev" and press "Enter." Enter your password and hit "Enter."

3. Type "cd ~" and press "Enter." Type "wget http://h264.code-shop.com/download/apache_mod_h264_streaming-2.2.7.tar.gz" and press "Enter," then type "tar -zxvf apache_mod_h264_streaming-2.2.7.tar.gz" and press "Enter."

4. Type the following lines of code, pressing "Enter" after each line:

   cd ~/mod_h264_streaming-2.2.7

   ./configure --with-apxs=`which apxs2`

   make

   sudo make install

5. Type "vi /etc/apache/httpd.conf" and press "Enter." Add the following two lines to the file:

   LoadModule h264_streaming_module /usr/lib/apache2/modules/mod_h264_streaming.so

   AddHandler h264-streaming.extensions .mp4

6. Press "Esc," then ":q" and then ":w" to exit and save.

7. Type "sudo /etc/init.d/apache restart" to restart the Apache server. This will install the MP4 and FLV playback facilities to Apache.

References

• Code Shop: Downloading and Building the H264 Streaming Module for Apache (version 2)