Icecast hosting for your own encoder, managed for you
Broadcast from the software you already use; MAWCast runs the server.
MAWCast gives each station an Icecast 2 mount that you can broadcast to from any Icecast-capable encoder, such as BUTT, Mixxx or VirtualDJ. You do not run or configure the server. When you disconnect, AutoDJ plays your rotation at the same address, so listeners do not have to reconnect.
MAWCast Studio, our own desktop broadcaster for Windows, is the recommended way to go live. It knows your stations, so there is nothing on this page to copy: sign in, pick your station, press GO LIVE. It is free with every plan. If you prefer your own encoder, everything below works with it.
What do I get for each station?
- One public mountpoint named after your station, for example
/myradio. That is the address listeners use. - A source password for that station, with the username
source. Control keeps the password masked until you ask to see it. - A hidden AutoDJ mount that the public mount falls back to. It is not a second address and is not listed in directories. See how the fallback to AutoDJ works.
- A listener limit set by your plan: 100 at once on Starter, 500 on Air, and no cap from Broadcast. The stream server enforces it: when the station is full, the next listener cannot connect until someone leaves.
- A live quality set by your plan: 128 kbps on Starter and 320 kbps on the other plans. Set your encoder to your plan's figure. If it sends more, MAWCast re-encodes the show to your plan's quality on its way to air.
The details are in Control under Broadcast Access. See the five connection values.
How do I connect my encoder?
Open Broadcast Access in Control
Your station's hostname, port, mountpoint and password are there.
Choose Icecast 2 in your encoder
Not Shoutcast. The two protocols are not interchangeable.
Enter the details
Hostname, port, mountpoint (keep its leading slash), username
sourceand your password. Send MP3 at your plan's live bitrate.Connect
Control shows the station as live within a few seconds of the encoder connecting.
Each program has its own name for the same fields:
| MAWCast calls it | Your encoder may call it |
|---|---|
| Hostname | Server, Address, Host, URL |
| Port | Server port |
| Mountpoint | Mount, Mount point, Stream name, Path |
| Username | Source user, Login (always source) |
| Password | Source password, Stream password |
See the full connection walkthrough, and what to check if the encoder is refused.
Which software works?
| Software | Connects directly? | Guide |
|---|---|---|
| BUTT | Yes, as an Icecast server. | Connection walkthrough |
| Mixxx | Yes, Icecast 2. It also sends the track title and artist. | Connection walkthrough |
| VirtualDJ | Yes, by broadcasting to a radio server with Icecast 2. | VirtualDJ guide |
| OBS Studio | No. OBS streams to RTMP, SRT and WHIP. Route its audio through a virtual audio device into an encoder such as BUTT. | Connection walkthrough |
| Serato DJ | No. Its live streaming hands audio to broadcasting software. Same route. | The workaround for Serato |
| rekordbox | No. It is captured by broadcasting software. Same route. | The workaround for rekordbox |
Any other program that can send to an Icecast 2 server uses the same five values.
What happens when I stop broadcasting?
- Listeners stay on the same address. If AutoDJ's rotation is switched on, they hear it; if it is off, the station is silent until something connects. When you connect again, listeners move back to you.
- AutoDJ joins the rotation where the clock is, not at the top of a track. See AutoDJ.
- Each live broadcast becomes a broadcast session: a record of who was on, when it started and ended, what played and the technical events. It is a record, not an audio recording. Session history is unlimited on every plan.
- Control shows current listeners, peaks, averages and a listener timeline while you are live, and keeps them as permanent history. See live listeners.
What does MAWCast not give you that a raw Icecast server would?
MAWCast is managed hosting for a station, not an Icecast server you administer.
- No Icecast admin access and no configuration of your own. MAWCast writes the server configuration.
- One public mount per station. You cannot add mounts, relays or listener authentication.
- MP3 only from your encoder.
- No way to bring your own Icecast or Shoutcast server to MAWCast.
- An encoder set to Shoutcast will not connect. Choose Icecast 2.
If you need full control of the server, run it yourself: Icecast is free server software for streaming, and AzuraCast describes itself as a free and open-source, self-hosted web radio station in a box. Either is the better tool for that job.
Is there anything besides the stream?
Every plan includes the rest of a station:
- AutoDJ with playlists and a queue.
- A show schedule.
- A media library: upload MP3, WAV, OGG, M4A or FLAC, up to 150 MB per file.
- A public page at yourstation.mawcast.com, with a player.
- A web player to embed on your own site.
- MAW Assistant on Discord: notifications, quick actions and diagnostics.
What does it cost?
Starter is €1.99 a month: 100 listeners at once and a live quality of 128 kbps. Air is €4.99: 500 listeners at once and a live quality of 320 kbps. From Broadcast (€9.99) there is no listener cap and you can run up to 3 stations. Prices include VAT. There is no free plan; there is a 3-day trial of Starter. Compare all plans.
Keep your source password safe
The source password is the one secret that lets anyone broadcast as your station. After you reset it in Control, any encoder still holding the old one stops connecting, so update each of them. MAWCast support will never ask you for it. See rotate your source password.