> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.dfine.app/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Ingest does not work

> The most common reasons a stream does not arrive, and how to fix each one.

If your signal does not reach dfine.io, work through the checks below. Most problems come down to a wrong value in the encoder.

<AccordionGroup>
  <Accordion title="Is the ingest server URL correct?" icon="link">
    Open the **Ingest** tab in **Settings** and copy the URL again. A full ingest URL looks like this:

    ```plain theme={null}
    rtmps://ingest-de.dfine.app:8443/live?username=XXXXX&password=XXXXX
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are you using the stream key, not the access key?" icon="key">
    The stream key publishes your signal. The access key is only for viewers who log in to watch. A stream key looks like this:

    ```plain theme={null}
    abC1-aBcDEfGh
    ```
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is the protocol set to RTMPS?" icon="lock">
    Every stream is encrypted, so your encoder must use SSL with **RTMPS**, not plain RTMP.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Did you install the right encoder profile?" icon="download">
    Install the profile that matches your plan from our [download section](https://www.dfine.io/download).
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Is your stream blocked because the bitrate is too high?" icon="octagon-alert">
    A stream is blocked automatically when its bitrate is higher than your plan allows. You see a red **Blocked** badge and your encoder keeps trying to reconnect. Your plan's limit is shown in the **Ingest** tab as **Max bitrate**. Lower the bitrate to within your plan, then unblock the stream from the admin area.
  </Accordion>

  <Accordion title="Are your network addresses set correctly?" icon="network">
    If you use a fixed IP setup instead of automatic addresses, make sure your IP and gateway are in the same range as your workstation.
  </Accordion>
</AccordionGroup>

<Card title="Keep your quality high" icon="gauge" href="/en/quality-of-stream">
  A short checklist to get the best possible playback.
</Card>