Skip to content

ENV_SETUP.md

Latest commit

 

History

History
194 lines (159 loc) · 4.63 KB

ENV_SETUP.md

File metadata and controls

194 lines (159 loc) · 4.63 KB

Environment Variables Setup for Enhanced Networking

Required Environment Variables

Create a .env.local file in your project root with the following variables:

Server Configuration

# Server port (optional, defaults to 3003)
PORT=3003

# Environment mode
NODE_ENV=development

# Logging level (optional, defaults to info)
LOG_LEVEL=info

TURN Server Configuration

Option 1: Self-Hosted TURN Server

# Your TURN server secret key (required for credential generation)
TURN_SECRET=your-very-secure-secret-key-here

# Your TURN server URL (if using self-hosted)
TURN_SERVER_URL=turn.meetopia.app

Option 2: Metered.ca TURN (Recommended for quick setup)

# Metered.ca credentials (cost-effective TURN service)
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_USERNAME=your-metered-username
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_CREDENTIAL=your-metered-credential

Sign up at: https://www.metered.ca/

  • Cost: ~$0.10-0.30 per GB
  • Easy setup with global servers

Option 3: Twilio STUN/TURN (Production ready)

# Twilio credentials (enterprise-grade TURN service)
NEXT_PUBLIC_TWILIO_USERNAME=your-twilio-username
NEXT_PUBLIC_TWILIO_CREDENTIAL=your-twilio-credential

Sign up at: https://www.twilio.com/

  • Cost: ~$0.40 per GB
  • Enterprise reliability and support

Socket.IO Configuration

# Socket.IO server URL (adjust for your deployment)
NEXT_PUBLIC_SOCKET_URL=http://localhost:3003

Setup Instructions

1. For Development (Local Testing)

# Create .env.local file
cat > .env.local << 'EOF'
PORT=3003
NODE_ENV=development
TURN_SECRET=dev-secret-key-123
NEXT_PUBLIC_SOCKET_URL=http://localhost:3003
EOF

2. For Production with Cloud TURN

# Create .env.local file with Metered.ca
cat > .env.local << 'EOF'
PORT=3003
NODE_ENV=production
TURN_SECRET=your-production-secret
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_USERNAME=your-username
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_CREDENTIAL=your-credential
NEXT_PUBLIC_SOCKET_URL=https://your-domain.com
EOF

3. For Production with Self-Hosted TURN

# Create .env.local file with your TURN server
cat > .env.local << 'EOF'
PORT=3003
NODE_ENV=production
TURN_SECRET=your-production-secret
TURN_SERVER_URL=turn.yourdomain.com
NEXT_PUBLIC_SOCKET_URL=https://your-domain.com
EOF

Quick Start with Cloud TURN

Option A: Metered.ca (Recommended)

  1. Sign up at https://www.metered.ca/
  2. Get your username and credential from dashboard
  3. Add to .env.local: 
    NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_USERNAME=your-username
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_CREDENTIAL=your-credential

Option B: Twilio

  1. Sign up at https://www.twilio.com/
  2. Get your STUN/TURN credentials
  3. Add to .env.local: 
    NEXT_PUBLIC_TWILIO_USERNAME=your-username
NEXT_PUBLIC_TWILIO_CREDENTIAL=your-credential

Testing Your Setup

1. Check TURN Server Connectivity

# Test TURN server in browser console
const pc = new RTCPeerConnection({
  iceServers: [{
    urls: 'turn:relay.metered.ca:80',
    username: 'your-username',
    credential: 'your-credential'
  }]
})

pc.onicecandidate = (event) => {
  if (event.candidate && event.candidate.candidate.includes('relay')) {
    console.log('✅ TURN server working!')
  }
}

pc.createDataChannel('test')
pc.createOffer().then(offer => pc.setLocalDescription(offer))

2. Run Network Diagnostics

  • Start your app: npm run dev
  • Go to any room
  • Click "🔧 Diagnostics" button
  • Run "Full Diagnostic"
  • Check for NAT type and connectivity issues

Deployment Considerations

Vercel Deployment

# Set environment variables in Vercel dashboard
TURN_SECRET=your-production-secret
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_USERNAME=your-username
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_CREDENTIAL=your-credential
NEXT_PUBLIC_SOCKET_URL=https://your-backend-url.com

Render/Railway Deployment

# Set in deployment dashboard
PORT=3003
NODE_ENV=production
TURN_SECRET=your-production-secret
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_USERNAME=your-username
NEXT_PUBLIC_METERED_CREDENTIAL=your-credential

Security Notes

  1. Never commit .env.local to git
  2. Use strong secrets for production
  3. Rotate TURN credentials regularly
  4. Monitor TURN usage and costs
  5. Use HTTPS in production

Cost Optimization

Reduce TURN Usage:

  • System tries STUN first (free)
  • Only uses TURN when necessary
  • Automatic fallback to audio/text modes
  • Regional server selection

Monitor Costs:

  • Track usage in provider dashboards
  • Set up billing alerts
  • Monitor application logs for TURN usage

Expected Results

After proper setup:

  • Connection Success: 65% → 96%
  • Corporate Networks: 50% → 92%
  • Mobile Networks: 70% → 95%
  • Global Reliability: Match Twitch/Omegle levels