Installing RealServer

The RealServer setup program creates directories and copies the program, configuration, and sample content files into them. The Windows and UNIX installation sections list the default file and directory structures created during setup.

In general, you should not store media files in directories on your Web server. The RealServer is independent of and does not communicate with the Web server.


Smart Networking

RealServer 5.0 can broadcast to players behind firewalls by transmitting all data in HTTP over port 80 after more efficient transports have failed. Setup asks if you would like to enable Smart Networking on port 80. The default answer is "yes." It is strongly recommended that you take full advantage of this feature to maximize the viewership of your content.

Normally you cannot use Smart Networking if your RealServer is installed on the same machine as your Web server. The second bullet item below describes a solution.

If you enable this feature, the setup program checks port 80 for the presence of a Web server. If a conflict is detected, you can enable Smart Networking in one of two ways:


Testing RealServer with a Sample Media Clip

After installing RealServer, it is recommended that you test your installation by playing a sample media clip. You can do this easily from the Administration page, or you can use a Web browser to manually test the clip:

To play a test clip manually:

In a Web browser, type the following URL:

    http://<servername>:<port>/ramgen/<filename>.rm

where <servername> is the name of your Web server, <port> is the port number it's using, and <filename> is the name of the file to be served. The key word "ramgen" tells RealServer to simulate .ram file behavior (.ram files are described in Configuring Your Web Site). Be sure to type ramgen in lowercase. You can also include optional arguments, as described in Customizing Calls to Video and Audio Content. For example, if the URL you would reference in the .ram file or the RealPlayer is:

    pnm://www.server1.com/hello.rm

the URL you would type in the browser to test the file is

    http://server1:7070/ramgen/hello.rm

     

If the clip plays correctly, the server is working properly.

If the media file does not play at all, or if the performance or playback quality is poor, check your log files for clues. To learn about log files, see RealServer Log Files.

© 1997 RealNetworks, Inc.