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ARK Dedicated Server Setup Guide

Ark Guide • Updated Mar 30, 2026

ARK Dedicated Server Setup Guide

This guide covers the practical setup flow for both ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended. The core process is the same in both games: install the dedicated server with SteamCMD, open the right ports, launch with a clean command line, and only then start layering in mods and advanced settings.

Know the Big Difference First

Game Dedicated Server App ID Platform Support
ARK: Survival Evolved 376030 Windows and Linux
ARK: Survival Ascended 2430930 Windows only

Do not mix ASE and ASA instructions. Ascended uses a different server app, different map names, heavier hardware, and a Windows-only dedicated server path.

Recommended Port Layout

Game Port:   7777/UDP
Peer Port:   7778/UDP
Query Port: 27015/UDP
RCON Port:  27020/TCP

If you host multiple servers on one machine, increment them cleanly. For example, the second instance commonly uses 7779, 7780, 27016, and 27021.

Install With SteamCMD

Create a dedicated install directory first, then pull the correct server app.

# ARK: Survival Evolved
steamcmd +force_install_dir /path/to/arkserver +login anonymous +app_update 376030 validate +quit

# ARK: Survival Ascended
steamcmd +force_install_dir C:\arkasa +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quit

Basic Startup Example

ASE

ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?listen?SessionName=MyARKServer?ServerPassword=?ServerAdminPassword=ChangeMe -Port=7777 -QueryPort=27015 -RCONPort=27020 -log

ASA

ArkAscendedServer.exe TheIsland_WP?listen?SessionName=MyASA?ServerAdminPassword=ChangeMe -Port=7777 -QueryPort=27015 -RCONPort=27020 -log

Configuration File Paths

File Type Windows Path Linux Path
Gameplay and rates ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\Game.ini ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/Game.ini
Session and server settings ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer\GameUserSettings.ini ShooterGame/Saved/Config/LinuxServer/GameUserSettings.ini

First-Boot Checklist

  1. Launch the server once with no mods.
  2. Confirm ShooterGame/Saved/ is created correctly.
  3. Verify players can see and join the session.
  4. Set the admin password and test admin login.
  5. Back up the clean baseline before adding mods or advanced configs.

Hardware Reality Check

  • ASE is lighter and supports Linux, but still prefers strong single-thread CPU performance.
  • ASA is substantially heavier and usually wants more RAM and faster storage.
  • NVMe storage is strongly preferred once the world becomes established.

Most Common Setup Mistakes

Mistake Result
Opening only one UDP port Server may appear inconsistently or fail to accept players correctly
Testing with mods immediately You cannot tell whether the base server or a mod caused the failure
Wrong map name in launch parameters Boot failure or wrong-world behavior
Using old ASE-style assumptions for ASA Broken setup, wrong expectations, and wasted troubleshooting time

Want to skip the SteamCMD, firewall, and first-boot pain? Get ARK: Survival Evolved hosting on Supercraft or launch ARK: Survival Ascended hosting on Supercraft and start from a ready-to-run dedicated baseline.

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