Binila Treesa Babu
Short answer: install Flussonic on Ubuntu 24.04 LTS, not CentOS 7. CentOS 7 is end of life, and Flussonic’s system requirements now list Ubuntu Linux only. For a new project, Flussonic asks you to choose the product that fits the job (Catena for IPTV and OTT, Watcher for cameras, Mcaster for broadcast), while existing Flussonic Media Server installations keep receiving updates from the same package repository. Every product needs a licence key from Flussonic; a trial is available.
This post used to be a CentOS 7 guide. We rewrote it from Flussonic’s current documentation and tested the package installation on Ubuntu 24.04 in a lab container.
What changed: CentOS 7 and the new Flussonic product line
- CentOS 7 is finished. It no longer gets security updates, so it should not run an internet-facing streaming server. Flussonic’s system requirements name Ubuntu Linux, and its current quick starts use Ubuntu 24.04.
- Flussonic Media Server is no longer installed on its own for new projects. Flussonic’s installation page now says it “no longer describes installing Flussonic Media Server” and sends new installations to Catena, Watcher or Mcaster. Media Server remains the streaming engine many servers run today, and Flussonic still releases updates for it.
- Moving off CentOS 7 means a new server, not an in-place upgrade. Build a fresh Ubuntu 24.04 server, copy your configuration across, and move the licence (see below).
Which Flussonic product do you need?
| Product | What it is for | Package |
|---|---|---|
| Catena | A TV operator platform: middleware, subscriber apps and streaming in one installation | catena (Sapsan repository) |
| Watcher | Video surveillance and recording, on one server or a cluster | flussonic-watcher |
| Mcaster | Preparing and contributing broadcast TV signals, for example multicast headends | mcaster (Sapsan repository) |
| Flussonic Media Server | The general-purpose media server: existing installations and custom projects | flussonic |
Not sure? Ask Flussonic which product your licence covers before you install, and whether an existing Media Server licence can move to the new product.
Before you install
- A server with Ubuntu 24.04 LTS (x86-64) and root access. Flussonic’s Watcher requirements say the 26.11 packages are provided for Ubuntu 24.04 LTS x86-64 and ask you to run a trial installation before choosing another OS.
- Enough hardware for your streams. Flussonic’s minimums for Media Server start at any processor and 128 MB of RAM for 10 connections and reach 16 GB of RAM, a dual-core Xeon E5 and a 10 Gbit/s network card for 5,000 or more. Transcoding needs far more processor than delivery, and recording needs fast disks.
- Outbound internet access. The online licence is validated over HTTP and HTTPS, so allow outgoing connections on ports 80 and 443. According to Flussonic, its licence server never connects to your server.
- A licence key. Copy it from the client area at my.flussonic.com, or request a trial on Flussonic’s website.
How to install Flussonic Media Server on Ubuntu 24.04
Use this for an existing Media Server project you are moving to a new server, or when Flussonic has confirmed Media Server is the right product. The repository and package names are the ones in Flussonic’s Watcher quick start and update guide. Run the commands as root.
1. Add Flussonic’s signing key and repository:
wget -q -O /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/flussonic.gpg http://apt.flussonic.com/binary/gpg.key
echo "deb http://apt.flussonic.com binary/" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/flussonic.list
apt update2. Install the package:
apt install flussonicIn our lab container this installed Flussonic 26.11 with its Erlang runtime and transcoder packages, and added the flussonic.service systemd unit. Check the installed version with:
dpkg -l | grep flussonicOutput (lab example):
ii flussonic 26.11 all videostreaming server
ii flussonic-erlang 28.5.1.1 all erlang
ii flussonic-transcoder6.1.3 26.04 all transcoder
ii flussonic-transcoder6.1.3-base 26.04 all transcoder base3. Start the service and open the web interface at http://SERVER-IP/:
service flussonic startWhen we started a fresh install, it listened on port 80 only and redirected to /admin/. There was no configuration file yet and no licence. According to Flussonic’s licensing guide, the first time you open the web interface it asks for the licence key and the administrator login and password you want to use. Do this straight away, because until setup is finished the start page is open to anyone who can reach port 80. Flussonic says the login and password must not contain any of these characters: @ ; # [ / = $.
The key is stored in /etc/flussonic/license.txt, and you can change it later under Config > License.
Installing Catena, Mcaster or Watcher instead
Catena and Mcaster come from Flussonic’s Sapsan repository. The Catena quick start uses:
curl -L http://apt.flussonic.com/repo/master/dev.key > /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/dev.gpg
echo "deb http://apt.flussonic.com/branch/sapsan/master repo/" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/flussonic.list
apt updateapt install --install-recommends catenaFor Mcaster, install mcaster instead; Flussonic’s documentation says Catena and Mcaster cannot share one machine. The installer asks for the licence key, sets up PostgreSQL and generates an administrator password, which you read with grep EDIT_AUTH_PASSWORD /etc/catena/secrets.env (or /etc/mcaster/secrets.env), then log in as admin. Watcher uses the binary/ repository shown above with apt install flussonic-watcher, and its installer asks you to set the administrator login and password. Our knowledge base article Installing Flussonic in 2026: Catena, Watcher and Mcaster goes through each one.
Ports and firewall
- 80 (and 443 once you add HTTPS): the web interface, the API and HTTP playback such as HLS. A fresh install listens on 80 only.
- Streaming protocols: RTMP, RTSP, SRT and others listen only on the ports you add under Config > Settings > Listeners. Flussonic’s RTMP guide asks you to set up an RTMP port before publishing to it.
- Outbound 80 and 443: needed for licence validation and updates.
Flussonic’s security guide warns that anyone with access to the admin interface can read and modify any file on the disk. Limit the web interface to the addresses that need it, switch on HTTPS, and keep the administrator password long and unique.
Moving from a CentOS 7 server
- Back up
/etc/flussonicand the.dbfiles in/opt/flussonic/priv, the folders Flussonic’s update guide tells you to save. - Install the same Flussonic product on the new Ubuntu 24.04 server, as above.
- Move the licence. According to Flussonic, the licence is not tied to the hardware or IP address: start it on the new server, then remove the key from the old one and stop Flussonic there so it does not restart. Flussonic counts running servers, so two at once can mean an extra licence.
- Test your streams, then switch DNS or your players to the new server.
After that, keep it current: Flussonic asks you to update every month or at least every three months, with Upgrade in the admin interface or apt-get update, apt-get install flussonic and service flussonic restart.
Where Ucartz fits
Our Flussonic streaming servers are bare metal dedicated servers from $112.99 a month, in the USA, Finland, Canada, the UK, France and Poland, with an unmetered 1 Gbps port and full root access. We install Flussonic Media Server with a 10-day Flussonic trial licence, or Catena or Watcher on request; after the trial you buy your licence from Flussonic, and it is not part of the server price. Servers are usually ready in about 2 to 6 business hours (at most 46). Every server includes Free Basic Managed Support for quick tasks, and our engineers can help with a migration from CentOS 7 through Hire an Expert, from $8 per 15 minutes. Prices are in US dollars, and the current price is always the one in our store.
FAQ
What is the Flussonic default password?
There is no shared default. On Flussonic Media Server and Watcher you set the administrator login and password yourself during setup. Catena and Mcaster generate a random password and store it in secrets.env. According to Flussonic’s security guide, the Media Server administrator login is the edit_auth setting in /etc/flussonic/flussonic.conf, which root can read on the server (unless you chose to store the password hashed).
Can I still install Flussonic on CentOS 7?
You should not. CentOS 7 receives no security updates, Flussonic’s requirements list Ubuntu Linux, and Flussonic says it cannot guarantee correct operation on distributions it does not package for. Use Ubuntu 24.04 LTS.
Why does Flussonic show “no license” or go offline?
Without a valid key, the web interface opens in a limited view and asks for one. With an online key, the server must reach Flussonic over HTTP and HTTPS, so check outbound ports 80 and 443 and DNS. For networks with no internet access, Flussonic offers USB licence keys.
Is there a free or lifetime Flussonic licence?
According to Flussonic, you can request a trial key on its website; for licence types and current prices, ask Flussonic directly. Avoid “cracked” or “nulled” copies: they break the licence terms, cannot be updated safely, and a tampered streaming server is a security risk to everything on it.
“curl: (7) Failed to connect to localhost port 8080”: what is wrong?
A fresh Flussonic install listens on port 80, not 8080, so test curl -I http://localhost/ instead. If port 80 does not answer either, check systemctl status flussonic and journalctl -u flussonic -n 100.
Planning a new Flussonic server or a move off CentOS 7? Open a ticket with your channel count, transcoding profiles and peak viewers, and we will suggest a server.
