Documentation

Complete Setup Documentation

Comprehensive installation and configuration guide for WAVE streaming platform

Version 1.0•Updated November 2025•35-40 min read

Prerequisites & System Requirements

Important

Review all requirements before beginning installation to ensure a smooth setup process.

Hardware Requirements

Environment	CPU	RAM	Storage	Network
Development	4 cores	8GB	50GB SSD	100 Mbps
Small Production	8 cores	16GB	500GB SSD	1 Gbps
Large Production	16+ cores	64GB+	2TB+ NVMe	10 Gbps

Software Dependencies

# Core Dependencies
Node.js:      18+ or 20 LTS
Docker:       24+ (optional but recommended)
Kubernetes:   1.28+ (production deployments)
PostgreSQL:   15+ (self-hosted database)
Redis:        7+ (caching)

# Load Balancing
Nginx:        1.24+
HAProxy:      2.8+

Browser Compatibility

Desktop Browsers

Chrome 90+ (recommended)
Firefox 88+
Safari 14+
Edge 90+

Mobile Browsers

iOS Safari 14+
Chrome Mobile 90+
Samsung Internet 14+
Firefox Mobile 88+

Network Requirements

Quality	Upload (Encoding)	Download (Viewing)
SD (480p)	2-3 Mbps	1.5 Mbps
HD (720p)	4-5 Mbps	3 Mbps
Full HD (1080p)	6-8 Mbps	5 Mbps
4K UHD	20-25 Mbps	15 Mbps

Planning Your Implementation

Architecture Selection

Cloud-Managed

WAVE handles infrastructure, scaling, and operations

Zero infrastructure management
Auto-scaling and high availability
Fastest time to production

Self-Hosted

Full control over infrastructure and data

Complete data sovereignty
Custom infrastructure configuration
Enterprise compliance requirements

Protocol Selection

Protocol	Latency	Best For
OMT	<16ms	Real-time sports, esports, betting
WebRTC	<500ms	Interactive streaming, video calls
SRT	2-4s	Professional broadcasting
RTMP	5-10s	Standard live streaming
HLS/DASH	10-30s	Mass distribution, mobile apps

Account & Organization Setup

Creating Your Organization

1
Sign up at dashboard.wave.av
Create your account with a business email address
2
Verify your email
Check your inbox for verification link
3
Create organization
Enter organization name, region, and tier
4
Configure billing
Add payment method and select plan

API Configuration

Generating API Keys

# Navigate to dashboard
https://dashboard.wave.av/settings/api-keys

# Create API key
1. Click "Create API Key"
2. Name: "Production API Key"
3. Permissions: Select required scopes
4. Copy key (shown only once!)

# Secure storage
export WAVE_API_KEY="wave_live_abc123xyz789"
echo "WAVE_API_KEY=wave_live_abc123xyz789" >> .env
chmod 600 .env

Security Warning

Never commit API keys to version control. Use environment variables and secure secret management.

Streaming Configuration

Recommended Quality Settings

Resolution	Bitrate	Frame Rate	Codec
1080p	4500-6000 kbps	30/60 fps	H.264 High
720p	2500-4000 kbps	30/60 fps	H.264 Main
480p	1000-2000 kbps	30 fps	H.264 Main

Infrastructure Setup

CDN Configuration

# WAVE automatically provisions CDN
# Custom domain configuration
{
  "domain": "stream.yourdomain.com",
  "ssl": {
    "provider": "letsencrypt",
    "autoRenew": true
  },
  "cdn": {
    "regions": ["us-east", "us-west", "eu-central", "ap-southeast"],
    "caching": {
      "vod": "7d",
      "thumbnails": "30d"
    }
  }
}

Webhook Configuration

# Configure webhook endpoints
POST /api/v1/webhooks

{
  "url": "https://yourdomain.com/webhooks/wave",
  "events": [
    "stream.started",
    "stream.ended",
    "stream.error",
    "recording.ready"
  ],
  "secret": "webhook_secret_abc123"
}

Monitoring & Operations

Performance

Stream health scores
Bitrate stability
Frame drop rates
Latency metrics

Analytics

Viewer counts
Geographic distribution
Engagement metrics
Quality of Experience

Security

Access logs
Failed auth attempts
DDoS protection
Compliance reports

Security Configuration

Access Control

# Role-Based Access Control (RBAC)
{
  "roles": {
    "admin": ["*"],
    "producer": ["streams:*", "analytics:read"],
    "viewer": ["streams:read"]
  },
  "users": [
    {
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "role": "admin"
    },
    {
      "email": "[email protected]",
      "role": "producer"
    }
  ]
}

Encryption

TLS 1.3: All API and streaming connections encrypted
AES-256: Data at rest encryption for recordings
DRM: Widevine, FairPlay, PlayReady support

Testing & Validation

Integration Testing Checklist

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Authentication Errors

Error 401: Unauthorized or invalid API key

Solution:

Verify API key is correct and not expired
Check API key has required permissions
Ensure Authorization header format: Bearer wave_live_...

Stream Not Starting

Stream status stuck in "connecting" state

Solution:

Verify encoder settings match protocol requirements
Check firewall allows outbound connections
Test network connectivity to stream server
Review encoder logs for connection errors

Poor Stream Quality

Buffering, pixelation, or frame drops

Solution:

Test upload bandwidth meets requirements
Reduce bitrate or resolution settings
Enable hardware encoding if available
Check CPU/GPU usage isn't at 100%

Related Guides

Getting Started Guide

Quick start guide for first-time users

Beginner

API Integration Guide

Complete API reference and examples

Intermediate

Best Practices Guide

Optimization and production excellence

Intermediate