Closing SSH or your remote desktop connection does not stop an OBS stream by itself, provided OBS is already running on the Vultr server and the server stays powered on and connected. Start OBS in the server’s desktop session, verify YouTube is receiving the feed, then disconnect and check the stream from YouTube. This keeps the process running across a client disconnect; it does not protect OBS from crashing or the server from restarting, shutting down, or losing network access.
What has to stay running
SSH is only the remote connection you use to administer the server. For Vultr’s documented graphical workflow, OBS runs in an Ubuntu desktop session on the server. Disconnecting your SSH or desktop client is safe only after OBS is streaming and YouTube is receiving the feed. Keep the Vultr instance running. If OBS exits, the server stops or restarts, or its network connection fails, the stream may end.
A terminal multiplexer such as tmux or screen is not a substitute for this GUI setup: it does not, by itself, keep a graphical OBS session or the server alive.
Prepare the Vultr server
Vultr’s 2025 Ubuntu-and-OBS guide specifies a fresh Ubuntu server with at least 2 virtual CPUs, 4 GB RAM, 80 GB storage, and 3 TB bandwidth for its example. These are the guide’s stated prerequisites, not a guarantee that every scene, resolution, or encoder workload will run smoothly. You also need SSH access as a non-root user with sudo privileges, a desktop environment for OBS’s graphical workflow, OBS Studio, and FFmpeg. Follow Vultr’s current setup instructions for the installation steps: Vultr’s OBS Studio on Ubuntu guide.
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Check the current OBS installation instructions and compatibility with the Ubuntu image you plan to use. OBS lists OpenGL 3.3 or later as a Linux requirement: OBS Project Linux installation guidance.
Start the YouTube stream, then disconnect
- Deploy and prepare the instance. Set up the Ubuntu server, desktop environment, OBS Studio, and FFmpeg using Vultr’s guide. Keep the instance running while you stream.
- Get the YouTube stream details. In YouTube Studio, create or select the live stream and locate its stream key and destination settings. YouTube uses the stream key to identify where the encoder sends its feed and to accept that feed. Treat the key as a password: do not share it or expose it in screenshots, logs, or public configuration.
- Configure OBS. In OBS, open the stream settings, select the appropriate YouTube service or destination, and enter the stream key. Confirm the destination URL, key, and intended YouTube stream. In YouTube’s Live Control Room, check the auto-start and auto-stop settings rather than assuming the stream will begin or end automatically.
- Set OBS reconnection behavior. Vultr recommends enabling automatic reconnect, with a retry delay of 3 seconds or less and at least 1,000 maximum retries. These settings help OBS attempt to reconnect after an interruption; they do not restart OBS after a process failure or bring back a stopped server.
- Start streaming and verify receipt. Click Start Streaming in OBS. Confirm that YouTube receives the feed and check the channel in a browser before you disconnect from the desktop.
- End the remote connection. Close the Ubuntu desktop connection (and SSH client, if open). Leave the Vultr instance running. Check the live stream from another browser or device; reconnect to the desktop later if you need to inspect OBS.
YouTube documents resetting a compromised stream key in Live Control Room. If the key is exposed, reset it there and update OBS with the replacement before streaming again: YouTube Help: Go live with an encoder.
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Check performance and recover from interruptions
Watch CPU use and stream health
Monitor OBS’s CPU use and YouTube’s incoming stream status. Vultr cautions that CPU use above 90% may lead to dropped frames and buffering, and suggests lowering output resolution or moving to an instance with more vCPUs when utilization is high. This is Vultr’s vendor guidance, not a universal threshold; actual performance depends on the workload and configuration. A persistent process can still produce a poor or interrupted feed if the server is overloaded.
If YouTube stops receiving the stream
- OBS still shows an active stream, but YouTube has no feed: Check OBS’s service or destination URL and stream key against the selected YouTube stream. Confirm the instance still has network connectivity.
- OBS reports a dropped connection: Let its automatic reconnect attempts run, then check whether YouTube receives the feed again. Reconnection settings cannot help if OBS has stopped or the server is offline.
- Frames drop or playback buffers: Check CPU use. If it is high, reduce output resolution or use a server plan with more vCPUs, as Vultr suggests.
- The stream ended after you disconnected: Reconnect to the server and check whether the instance is running and OBS is still open in its desktop session. A client disconnect should not be confused with a server shutdown or OBS failure.
- The stream key may have been exposed: Reset it in YouTube Live Control Room and replace the key in OBS before trying again.
Other ways to keep a YouTube stream running
StreamNeo: cloud-based, without managing an OBS server
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Vultr’s Broadcaster Marketplace App
Vultr also documents a Broadcaster Marketplace App that provides browser-accessible OBS with preconfigured streaming settings on a Vultr instance. It is a separate route from installing OBS in a conventional Ubuntu desktop. Check current instance offerings, costs, and configuration before deploying: Vultr Broadcaster Marketplace App.
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