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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesA disconnect alone does not prove Hetzner is at fault. Find out whether the encoder lost its connection to YouTube or viewers only experienced playback trouble, then match YouTube Live Control Room’s stream-health messages with your encoder and server logs. The cause cannot be identified without the server type, encoder, protocol, exact error, and network evidence.
First determine what is disconnecting
Encoder-to-YouTube ingest failure
Check whether your encoder reports a dropped connection or reconnect while the event is happening. In YouTube Live Control Room, open the stream’s health and metrics view and note the status messages and their timestamps. YouTube’s live-stream troubleshooting guidance and stream metrics guidance distinguish encoder and stream-health issues from problems viewers may encounter.
Viewer playback interruption
If the encoder remains connected and reports a healthy output, a viewer’s interruption does not by itself establish an ingest disconnection. Compare reports from viewers on different networks with the Control Room status at the same time. YouTube notes that an issue affecting many viewers across different networks may implicate the encoder; an isolated playback report does not diagnose the sender.
Correlate the failure with logs and server events
For each interruption, record the UTC time, the Control Room message, and the encoder’s complete error or reconnect log. Compare those timestamps with service or container restarts, CPU and memory use, firewall logs, and network-interface events on the Hetzner server. A resource spike or restart is a possible lead, not a cause, unless it lines up with the failure. YouTube recommends checking encoder CPU load and, if the current encoder shows no problem, trying another encoder as a diagnostic comparison.
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Check the configured YouTube endpoint and protocol
If you use RTMPS
Copy the RTMPS server URL from YouTube Live Control Room and verify that the encoder is using that protocol and host, rather than an old or default RTMP address. YouTube describes RTMPS as RTMP secured with TLS/SSL. If the error mentions an invalid SSL certificate, YouTube advises confirming the protocol and host are RTMPS; if your encoder allows it, specifying port 443 is a troubleshooting step. For a “connection timed out” message, check the URL and whether the encoder supports RTMPS. These checks apply when you are using RTMPS and the error fits; they do not establish that RTMPS is the cause of every disconnect.
Use the exact endpoint in connectivity tests
Record the ingest hostname and port shown for your stream. Do not test an unrelated YouTube address and treat success as proof that the configured ingest path works. A failure to connect from the server to the actual endpoint is useful evidence; it still needs to be read alongside the encoder log and Control Room status.
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Inspect outbound firewall rules on Hetzner Cloud
If the server is a Hetzner Cloud server, inspect its Cloud Firewall rules and the operating system firewall. Hetzner’s Cloud Firewall FAQ says outbound traffic is allowed when no outbound rules are defined. Once outbound rules are defined, unmatched outbound traffic is dropped by an implicit deny. Confirm that the protocol, destination, and port your configured YouTube connection needs are allowed by the actual ruleset.
This behavior is specific to Hetzner Cloud Firewalls. Do not assume it describes a dedicated server’s Robot firewall; check the applicable firewall documentation for that product separately.
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Test the outbound route and interpret packet loss carefully
From the Hetzner server, test a controlled connection to the ingest hostname and port configured in Live Control Room. Run the test over the period when disconnections normally occur and save its timestamps and results. YouTube recommends checking outbound connection strength when the encoder appears to be sending healthy video and audio. A one-time speed test cannot establish that the route stays reliable during a stream.
When you suspect packet loss
Hetzner asks for bidirectional MTR or WinMTR traces with at least 200 packets for packet-loss reports. Loss shown at an intermediate router but not at the final destination can reflect that router ignoring or limiting ICMP responses; intermediate-hop loss alone does not prove end-to-end packet loss. Loss that continues through the destination is more relevant to the stream path.
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For a network problem report, Hetzner’s network troubleshooting guidance asks customers to provide evidence rather than a general statement such as “my ping is bad.” Submit the traces through a Hetzner Console support request, select the affected server and the appropriate public or private network issue category, and include the timestamps and endpoint. If the evidence points beyond Hetzner’s network, the responsible network provider may also need to investigate.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Check bitrate and encoder settings against sustained capacity
The bitrate must fit the outbound capacity the server can sustain—not just a brief peak. YouTube’s encoder settings guidance recommends testing before a stream with representative movement and audio, then monitoring stream health while live. Choose settings based on your actual resolution, frame rate, codec, and measured connection; there is no universal bitrate that can be prescribed from the information available here.
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- Set the keyframe interval to 2 seconds, as YouTube recommends.
- Do not set the keyframe interval above 4 seconds.
- Test with representative content and audio, and watch YouTube’s stream-health status during the test.
- Compare observed outbound capacity with the configured bitrate over time, not only in a one-off speed test.
Use the failure pattern to narrow the fault domain
- Encoder reports a disconnect: prioritize its timestamped log, the configured endpoint and protocol, outbound connectivity, and firewall rules.
- Viewers report trouble but the encoder stays connected: compare reports across networks and check Live Control Room metrics before changing server settings.
- Failure starts at connection setup: verify the copied server URL, protocol support, port, and any matching timeout or SSL error.
- Failure begins mid-stream: correlate its time with encoder output, server restarts or resource pressure, firewall events, and sustained outbound tests. The timing alone does not prove a cause.
- MTR shows intermediate loss only: check whether loss continues to the destination before treating it as evidence of an end-to-end problem.
What to send Hetzner if the evidence points to the network
Preserve a concise incident record before opening a support request. Include the affected server identifier, disconnect times in UTC, YouTube stream-health messages, encoder logs, the ingest hostname and port, Cloud Firewall and operating-system firewall rules, and bidirectional MTR or WinMTR output with at least 200 packets. If you have a successful or failed controlled connection test, include its time and result as well. Hetzner’s network guidance notes that broad claims without traces are not enough to analyze a network fault.
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