LANStreamer

A comprehensive solution that turns a standard PC into a multi-channel audio streaming server for local area networks (LAN). This project provides a web-based application that orchestrates FFmpeg and Icecast to deliver local, live, low-latency audio broadcasts for events like language interpretation, meetings, or conferences.

🚀 Quick Start

For Non-Technical Users

The easiest way to get started - no command line needed!

Step 1: Install Prerequisites

You need these three programs installed first:

• Node.js: Download from https://nodejs.org/ (choose "LTS" version)
• FFmpeg & Icecast: See our Installation Guides for step-by-step instructions

Step 2: Download & Extract LANStreamer

1. Download: Go to https://github.com/jerryagenyi/LANStreamer
2. Get ZIP: Click the green "Code" button → "Download ZIP"
3. Extract: Right-click the ZIP file → "Extract All" or "Extract Here"
4. Open Folder: Navigate to the extracted LANStreamer folder

Step 3: One-Click Start

1. Double-click: Start LANStreamer Server.bat
2. Wait: The system will automatically install dependencies and start (if the terminal window disappears, just double-click the file again, and you should be up and running) - do not close the terminal, else LANSteamer Server session will end
3. Note the URLs: The terminal will show your network addresses

Step 4: Access Your Streaming Server

• Admin Dashboard: Visit http://YOUR-IP:3001 (login required)
• Listener Page: Visit http://YOUR-IP:3001/streams (public access for your audience)

Default Admin Credentials:

• Username: admin
• Password: lanstreamer123
• ⚠️ CRITICAL: Change these immediately in your .env file for security!

For Technical Users

# Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jerryagenyi/LANStreamer.git
cd LANStreamer

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Start the server
npm start

Then visit http://localhost:3001 for the admin dashboard.

🔧 Installation Requirements

System Requirements

• Operating System: Windows 10/11
• Node.js: Version 18 or higher (Download here)
• Audio Input: Any audio device (built-in microphone, USB microphone, audio interface, etc.)

Required Components (Manual Installation Required)

• FFmpeg: Audio/video processing toolkit (Official site)
• Icecast: Open-source streaming media server (Official site)

Windows Installation (Using Winget)

# Install FFmpeg
winget install FFmpeg

# Install Icecast (download from official site)
# Visit: https://icecast.org/download/
# Download Windows installer and run it

Verify Installation:

# Check FFmpeg
ffmpeg -version

# Check Icecast (Windows)
cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\Icecast\bin"
icecast.exe -v

🔧 Icecast Log Directory Configuration

Common Issue: When you first install Icecast and try to use it, you may get this error:

FATAL: could not open error logging (./log\error.log): No such file or directory

Solution: Update the log directory path in your icecast.xml configuration file:

1. Navigate to your Icecast installation folder (usually C:\Program Files (x86)\Icecast)
2. Open icecast.xml in a text editor
3. Find the <paths> section and locate the <logdir> tag
4. Get the full path to your log folder:
   • Navigate to the Icecast root folder
   • Right-click on the log folder
   • Select "Copy as path" (or similar option)
5. Update the <logdir> tag with the full path:

<paths>
    <logdir>C:\Program Files (x86)\Icecast\log</logdir>
    <!-- other path configurations -->
</paths>

Example: If your Icecast is installed at C:\Program Files (x86)\Icecast, the log directory should be:

<logdir>C:\Program Files (x86)\Icecast\log</logdir>

💡 Tip: Make sure the log directory exists and Icecast has write permissions to it.

🎯 What is LANStreamer?

LANStreamer creates a complete audio streaming ecosystem with two main interfaces and three core components:

🎛️ Admin Dashboard (http://localhost:3001/)

The control center where administrators:

• Manage Streams: Create, Start, and Stop audio streams
• Monitor System: Check FFmpeg and Icecast status in real-time
• Configure Settings: Set up event details and contact information for support
• View Analytics: Monitor active streams and system performance

🎧 Listener Interface (http://localhost:3001/streams)

The user-friendly page where listeners:

• Browse Streams: See all available audio streams
• Listen Live: Click to play any stream instantly
• Mobile Friendly: Works on phones, tablets, and computers
• No Apps Required: Just open in any web browser

⚙️ Core Components

1. Audio Input: Any detected audio device (microphone, audio interface, virtual audio cable) provides audio to the host PC
2. FFmpeg: This powerful tool reads the audio channels, encodes them, and pushes them to the streaming server
3. Icecast: The open-source streaming server that broadcasts the streams to any connected client on the network

🎯 Use Cases

Perfect for:

• Language Interpretation: Multiple language channels for conferences
• Meeting Audio: Professional audio distribution for events
• Training Sessions: Audio streaming for educational content
• Local Broadcasting: Any situation requiring reliable, low-latency audio distribution

🔐 Security Setup

⚠️ CRITICAL: Change Default Credentials Immediately!

LANStreamer comes with default admin credentials that you MUST change for security:

1. Copy env.example to .env (if not already done)
2. Edit the .env file and change:
   • ADMIN_USERNAME=your-new-username
   • ADMIN_PASSWORD=your-strong-password
3. Restart LANStreamer

Example Strong Passwords:

• MySecureLANStreamer2024!
• AudioStreaming@2024#Secure
• LANStreamer-Admin-Pass123!

🔄 Updating LANStreamer

For ZIP Download Users (Recommended)

1. Double-click Update LANStreamer.bat in your installation folder
2. Follow the prompts - the script will backup your configuration and install updates

For Git Users

git pull origin main
npm install  # If dependencies changed

📁 Project Structure

LANStreamer/
├── Start LANStreamer Server.bat            # Windows startup batch file
├── README.md                               # This file - project overview
├── package.json                            # Node.js dependencies and scripts
├── src/                                    # Backend Node.js application
│   ├── server.js                           # Main server entry point
│   ├── routes/                             # API route handlers
│   └── services/                           # Core business logic
├── public/                                 # Frontend web interface
│   ├── index.html                          # Admin dashboard
│   ├── streams.html                        # User streams page
│   └── components/                         # Modular UI components
├── config/                                 # Configuration files
├── logs/                                   # Application logs
└── docs/                                   # Documentation and guides

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Problem: "npm not found"

• Solution: Install Node.js from nodejs.org

Problem: "Port 3001 already in use"

• Solution: Close other applications using port 3001, or edit .env to change PORT=3001 to another port

Problem: "No audio devices detected"

• Solution: Ensure your microphone/audio device is connected and working in your system settings

Problem: "Icecast installation not found"

• Option 1 (Easiest): Move your Icecast to C:\Program Files (x86)\Icecast
• Option 2: Click "Browse for Icecast" in the dashboard to select your installation
• Option 3: Add your custom path to the .env file (see env.example for variables)

Need more help? Check the Installation Guides for detailed troubleshooting.

📚 Documentation

• Installation Guides - Detailed setup and troubleshooting
• Network Setup Guide - Static IP configuration for live events
• Manual Setup - Hardware-specific configuration guides
• Comprehensive Documentation (TLDR) - Detailed technical information and complete setup guide

🤝 Contributing

We welcome contributions! Fork the repository, make your changes, and create a pull request.

For bug reports, include your OS, Node.js version, and steps to reproduce the issue.

📄 License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

🆘 Support

If you need help:

1. Check the Installation Guides first
2. Review the troubleshooting section above
3. Create an issue on GitHub with detailed information about your setup

---

LANStreamer - Professional audio streaming for local networks. Perfect for conferences, meetings, and events requiring reliable multi-channel audio distribution.