How to handle http shoutcasts from https page?

[wrybread]

Now that Chrome and Apple are pushing so hard for HTTPS pages, showing warnings and things like that, and blocking mixed content (requests to HTTP sources from HTTPS pages), how are people handing streaming shoutcasts and icecasts that are on HTTP from HTTPS pages?

I'm hoping there's some workaround, since most streams don't support HTTPS.

[HG2S]

I run Shoutcast v.2 behind an Nginx reverse proxy using a Let's Encrypt certificate. I understand that ICEcast handles SSL directly but I have not tried it.

Why do you say "most streams don't support it"? I'm curious about the comment since I'm not seeing any issues with connections or listeners on SSL.

[wrybread]

Sorry for the late response, I didn't notice your reply.

I work with an internet radio station (radiovalencia.fm) and we use streamguys.com to host our stream. I can't remember what exactly was involved in switching over to SSL but it was at a minimum much more expensive. I just emailed them for details, I'll post when they respond.

But what made me post the question is that I've been working on a map of radio stations here:

http://goodradio.org/map

That plots my favorite college and community radio stations on a google map, and most of the stations are still streaming in http. And of course I have no control over those stations. Currently if I use the https version of that map page link anything streaming in http fails.

I'm hoping there's some workaround? Or am I doomed to using http for that page?

(And the map is still a work in progress, still swatting bugs, but it mostly works).

[HG2S]

Frankly, I think you want to move to HTTPS as soon as you can. In time HTTP will not be supported and you'll be forced to move to HTTPS in a under duress.

You might consider not forcing the HTTPS connection, at least initially. That is, do not enable a forced redirect to HTTPS on your site. Offer both HTTP and HTTPS and let the client (or coder) choose which connection to make.

As to mixing HTTP and HTTPS on the same page, it can work with older browsers but appears to be waning. I wouldn't guess it is long for this world. Take a look at what Mozilla has to say about it:

If your website delivers HTTPS pages, all active mixed content delivered via HTTP on this pages will be blocked by default. Consequently, your website may appear broken to users (if iframes or plugins don't load, etc.). Passive mixed content is displayed by default, but users can set a preference to block this type of content, as well.

If you need help with a streaming app that does HTTPS you might consider talking to the guys at RadioRethink. They specialize in helping community and public radio stations connect with their listeners.

[wrybread]

For the internet radio station I work with (radiovalencia.fm), we're currently paying streamguys.com $80/month for non SSL. It would be $120/month with SSL.

But my major question is for a site like my radio map:

http://goodradio.org/map

That links to about 110 different college and community radio stations, most of whom aren't streaming with HTTPS. Since Chrome blocks "mixed content" (embedding an HTTP stream from an HTTPS page) there's currently no way to make that webpage be https.

[wrybread]

Actually that makes me wonder, I wonder if serving the page in an iframe would do it? The iframe could be https for streams that need it, or http for streams non-https streams. Hmm.

[HG2S]

Here's an article that might be of interest to others: "Why you should not mix http and https when using iframes" (2017).

It covers two cases: 1) https with http iframe; 2), http with https iframe.

The recommendation of the author is clear: “Please do not use a different protocol for the iframe: Do not mix http and https if possible!”.

[rsadmin]

Hey @HG2S, can you please help me and/or share some references that can help me setting up Nginx reverse proxy using a Let's Encrypt certificate? Also, how I can configure Shoutcast v2 in Nginx to run behind. For your reference, i dont have static IP and my servers are under DHCp

[HG2S]

@rsadmin: Nginx is a big enough topic that it should probably be a separate thread, but does the tutorial on installing Nginx at Digital Ocean make sense to you?

As to your questions about IP, you could use DHCP and DDNS for a server but it is far from optimal as I suspect you already know.