continuwuity/docs/calls/livekit.mdx

# Matrix RTC/Element Call Setup

:::info
This guide assumes that you are using docker compose for deployment. LiveKit only provides Docker images.
:::

## Instructions

### 1. Domain

LiveKit should live on its own domain or subdomain. In this guide we use `livekit.example.com` - this should be replaced with a domain you control.

Make sure the DNS record for the (sub)domain you plan to use is pointed to your server.

### 2. Services

Using LiveKit with Matrix requires two services - Livekit itself, and a service (`lk-jwt-service`) that grants Matrix users permission to connect to it.

You must generate a key and secret to allow the Matrix service to authenticate with LiveKit. `LK_MATRIX_KEY` should be around 20 random characters, and `LK_MATRIX_SECRET` should be around 64. Remember to replace these with the actual values!

:::tip Generating the secrets
LiveKit provides a utility to generate secure random keys
```bash
docker run --rm livekit/livekit-server:latest generate-keys
```
:::

```yaml
services:
  lk-jwt-service:
    image: ghcr.io/element-hq/lk-jwt-service:latest
    container_name: lk-jwt-service
    environment:
      - LIVEKIT_JWT_BIND=:8081
      - LIVEKIT_URL=wss://livekit.example.com
      - LIVEKIT_KEY=LK_MATRIX_KEY
      - LIVEKIT_SECRET=LK_MATRIX_SECRET
      - LIVEKIT_FULL_ACCESS_HOMESERVERS=example.com
    restart: unless-stopped
    ports:
      - "8081:8081"

  livekit:
    image: livekit/livekit-server:latest
    container_name: livekit
    command: --config /etc/livekit.yaml
    restart: unless-stopped
    volumes:
      - ./livekit.yaml:/etc/livekit.yaml:ro
    network_mode: "host" # /!\ LiveKit binds to all addresses by default.
    # Make sure port 7880 is blocked by your firewall to prevent access bypassing your reverse proxy
    # Alternatively, uncomment the lines below and comment `network_mode: "host"` above to specify port mappings.
#    ports:
#      - "127.0.0.1:7880:7880/tcp"
#      - "7881:7881/tcp"
#      - "50100-50200:50100-50200/udp"
```

Next, we need to configure LiveKit. In the same directory, create `livekit.yaml` with the following content - remembering to replace `LK_MATRIX_KEY` and `LK_MATRIX_SECRET` with the values you generated:

```yaml
port: 7880
bind_addresses:
  - ""
rtc:
  tcp_port: 7881
  port_range_start: 50100
  port_range_end: 50200
  use_external_ip: true
  enable_loopback_candidate: false
keys:
  LK_MATRIX_KEY: LK_MATRIX_SECRET
```

#### Firewall hints

You will need to allow ports `7881/tcp` and `50100:50200/udp` through your firewall. If you use UFW, the commands are: `ufw allow 7881/tcp` and `ufw allow 50100:50200/udp`.

### 3. Telling clients where to find LiveKit

To tell clients where to find LiveKit, you need to add the address of your `lk-jwt-service` to the `[global.matrix_rtc]` config section using the `foci` option.

The variable should be a list of servers serving as MatrixRTC endpoints. Clients discover these via the `/_matrix/client/v1/rtc/transports` endpoint (MSC4143).

```toml
[global.matrix_rtc]
foci = [
    { type = "livekit", livekit_service_url = "https://livekit.example.com" },
]
```

Remember to replace the URL with the address you are deploying your instance of lk-jwt-service to.

### 4. Configure your Reverse Proxy

Reverse proxies can be configured in many different ways - so we can't provide a step by step for this.

By default, all routes should be forwarded to Livekit with the exception of the following path prefixes, which should be forwarded to the JWT/Authentication service:

- `/sfu/get`
- `/healthz`
- `/get_token`

<details>
    <summary>Example caddy config</summary>
    ```
    matrix-rtc.example.com {

        # for lk-jwt-service
        @lk-jwt-service path /sfu/get* /healthz* /get_token*
        route @lk-jwt-service {
            reverse_proxy 127.0.0.1:8081
        }

        # for livekit
        reverse_proxy 127.0.0.1:7880
    }
    ```
</details>

<details>
    <summary>Example nginx config</summary>
    ```
    server {
        server_name matrix-rtc.example.com;

        # for lk-jwt-service
        location ~ ^/(sfu/get|healthz|get_token) {
            proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:8081$request_uri;
            proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $remote_addr;
            proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
            proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
            proxy_buffering off;
        }

        # for livekit
        location / {
            proxy_pass http://127.0.0.1:7880$request_uri;
            proxy_set_header X-Forwarded-For $remote_addr;
            proxy_set_header X-Real-IP $remote_addr;
            proxy_set_header Host $http_host;
            proxy_buffering off;

            # websocket
            proxy_http_version 1.1;
            proxy_set_header Upgrade $http_upgrade;
            proxy_set_header Connection $connection_upgrade;
        }
    }
    ```

    Note that for websockets to work, you need to have this somewhere outside your server block:
    ```
    map $http_upgrade $connection_upgrade {
        default upgrade;
        ''      close;
    }
    ```
</details>

<details>
    <summary>Example traefik router</summary>
    ```
    # on LiveKit itself
    traefik.http.routers.livekit.rule=Host(`livekit.example.com`)
    # on the JWT service
    traefik.http.routers.livekit-jwt.rule=Host(`livekit.example.com`) && (PathPrefix(`/sfu/get`) || PathPrefix(`/healthz`) || PathPrefix(`/get_token`))
    ```
</details>


### 6. Start Everything

Start up the services using your usual method - for example `docker compose up -d`.

## Additional Configuration

### TURN Integration

If you've already set up coturn, there may be a port clash between the two services. To fix this, make sure the `min-port` and `max-port` for coturn so it doesn't overlap with LiveKit's range:

```ini
min-port=50201
max-port=65535
```

To improve LiveKit's reliability, you can configure it to use your coturn server.

Generate a long random secret for LiveKit, and add it to your coturn config under the `static-auth-secret` option. You can add as many secrets as you want - so set a different one for each thing using your TURN server.

Then configure livekit, making sure to replace `COTURN_SECRET`:

```yaml
# livekit.yaml
rtc:
  turn_servers:
    - host: coturn.ellis.link
      port: 3478
      protocol: tcp
      secret: "COTURN_SECRET"
    - host: coturn.ellis.link
      port: 5349
      protocol: tls # Only if you've set up TLS in your coturn
      secret: "COTURN_SECRET"
    - host: coturn.ellis.link
      port: 3478
      protocol: udp
      secret: "COTURN_SECRET"
```

## LiveKit's built in TURN server

Livekit includes a built in TURN server which can be used in place of an external option. This TURN server will only work with Livekit, so you can't use it for legacy Matrix calling - or anything else.

If you don't want to set up a separate TURN server, you can enable this with the following changes:

```yaml
### add this to livekit.yaml ###
turn:
  enabled: true
  udp_port: 3478
  relay_range_start: 50300
  relay_range_end: 50400
  domain: matrix-rtc.example.com
```

```yaml
### Add these to docker-compose ###
- "3478:3478/udp"
- "50300-50400:50300-50400/udp"
```

### Related Documentation

- [LiveKit GitHub](https://github.com/livekit/livekit)
- [LiveKit Connection Tester](https://livekit.io/connection-test) - use with the token returned by `/sfu/get` or `/get_token`
- [MatrixRTC proposal](https://half-shot.github.io/msc-crafter/#msc/4143)
- [Synapse documentation](https://github.com/element-hq/element-call/blob/livekit/docs/self-hosting.md)
- [Community guide](https://tomfos.tr/matrix/livekit/)
- [Community guide](https://blog.kimiblock.top/2024/12/24/hosting-element-call/)