How to Host an ARK: Survival Evolved Server in 2026

To host an ARK: Survival Evolved dedicated server in 2026, use a 64-bit Windows or Linux machine, install the Survival Evolved server through SteamCMD with app ID 376030, launch ShooterGameServer with your map and settings, and make the configured UDP ports reachable through the host firewall and router. After it appears in the unofficial list or a server browser, update the files with SteamCMD and back up ShooterGame/Saved.

This guide covers Survival Evolved only. Survival Ascended uses different server files, platform support and some startup options, so an Ascended command or app ID is not a substitute for the procedure below.

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The complete setup at a glance

A reliable server has four parts that must agree: the correct game executable, a valid startup command, open network paths, and enough resources for the map and players. Work through them in this order:

1. Prepare a 64-bit Windows or Linux host and reserve a fixed local address for it on your network.
2. Install SteamCMD, create a dedicated directory, and download app ID 376030.
3. Write a Windows batch file or Linux shell script that starts ShooterGameServer with a map, session name, ports and passwords.
4. Allow those ports in the operating-system firewall and forward them from the router to the server host.
5. Start the process, verify that it is reachable, and only then add mods or make extensive configuration changes.
6. Schedule updates and copy the save directory to a separate destination before risky changes.

The ARK Official Community Wiki documents the installation and launch process at Dedicated server setup and the networking details at Dedicated server. Those pages are community-maintained technical references; game builds and option names can change, so check them again when a major update changes server behavior.

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Confirm that you are installing Survival Evolved

Survival Evolved and Survival Ascended are separate products. They do not share one universal dedicated-server download, and a command copied from an Ascended guide can fail even when the syntax looks familiar. For this article, the decisive identifier is SteamCMD app ID 376030. Do not substitute an ID for another ARK product.

Survival Evolved has native dedicated-server support on 64-bit Windows and Linux. Decide the operating system before writing scripts because the executable path, service tools, firewall commands and quoting rules differ. If you are migrating an existing world, keep the current save copy untouched until the new instance has loaded and been tested.

Choose and prepare the host

Operating-system and CPU requirements

Use a 64-bit Windows or Linux installation with current security updates. The setup guidance estimates roughly two logical CPU cores per server instance and favors strong single-thread performance. That is planning guidance, not a promise that every map or player count will run smoothly on exactly two cores: simulation load changes with the map, world state, structures, creatures and connected players.

For more than one instance, give each process its own CPU headroom and port set. Avoid running a busy server on a machine that is already saturated by video encoding, file indexing or other latency-sensitive workloads. A wired network connection is preferable to Wi-Fi for a host that must remain reachable.

Storage and memory planning

The community setup guide estimates about 18 GiB for a base installation. Reserve additional capacity for save growth, SteamCMD updates, crash remnants and mods; the estimate is not a guaranteed total. Memory use varies substantially by map and active-player count, so monitor the host rather than applying one universal RAM number. Leave enough free memory for the operating system and disk cache to prevent swapping.

Give the server a stable local address

Port forwarding points to a local IP address. Configure a DHCP reservation in the router or assign a static address through the operating system so the destination does not change after a reboot. Record the address, the machine name and the ports you intend to use before creating firewall rules.

Install SteamCMD and the server files

1. Create a dedicated directory

Choose a path with write permission and enough free space. Keeping server files separate from the SteamCMD program makes updates and backups easier. Examples below use C:ARKServer on Windows and /srv/ark-server on Linux; substitute your own paths.

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2. Install SteamCMD

SteamCMD is a separate command-line tool. Download and install the build appropriate to your operating system from Valve’s distribution channels, then open a terminal in the directory containing steamcmd or steamcmd.sh. The server download itself is anonymous; a personal Steam account is not required for this app.

3. Download app ID 376030

Run the update command with the destination directory explicitly set. The angle-bracketed path is a placeholder that you replace with a real path; do not type the brackets.

steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit

On Linux, the executable is often named steamcmd.sh:

./steamcmd.sh +force_install_dir /srv/ark-server +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit

On Windows, a typical command from a Command Prompt is:

steamcmd.exe +force_install_dir C:ARKServer +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit

When the command finishes, confirm that the directory contains the Survival Evolved server files, including the ShooterGame tree and the ShooterGameServer executable. If SteamCMD reports a failed download, fix the path, permissions or network connection and run the same update command again before attempting to launch.

Create the startup script

The startup command names the map first, followed by settings separated by question marks. Keep the join password and administrator password different: the former controls entry to the server, while the latter grants administrative commands in-game. Do not publish the administrator password in a community post or paste it into a launcher users can download.

Windows batch example

Create start-ark.bat in the server directory. This example uses The Island, a session name, a join password, an administrator password, the documented default ports and a 20-player cap:

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cd /d C:ARKServer
ShooterGameBinariesWin64ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?SessionName=MyEvolvedServer?ServerPassword=JoinOnly123?ServerAdminPassword=AdminOnly456?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?MaxPlayers=20 -server -log

Use a session name that players can recognize and replace both example passwords immediately. The -server switch runs dedicated-server mode; -log keeps a live log window useful during first-run troubleshooting. Close the window only when you intentionally want to stop the instance.

Linux shell example

Create start-ark.sh, make it executable with chmod +x start-ark.sh, and launch it from the installation directory:

#!/bin/sh
cd /srv/ark-server
./ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer TheIsland?SessionName=MyEvolvedServer?ServerPassword=JoinOnly123?ServerAdminPassword=AdminOnly456?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?MaxPlayers=20 -server -log

For unattended operation, run the script inside a service manager or a terminal multiplexer so a disconnected SSH session does not terminate the process. The exact service-unit design depends on your Linux distribution; first prove that the foreground command loads the map and creates a save before automating restarts.

Choose settings deliberately

• Map: Replace TheIsland with the internal name of the map you own and intend to run. A misspelled map name can prevent startup.
• Session name: Keep it short enough to search easily and avoid characters that your shell treats specially.
• ServerPassword: Omit it for an open server or set it when you want players to enter a join password.
• ServerAdminPassword: Set a separate secret for administrator access.
• Port: The game traffic port. The documented default is UDP 7777.
• QueryPort: The browser/query port. The documented default is UDP 27015.
• MaxPlayers: Set a cap that matches the CPU, memory and network capacity you actually have.

Configuration files provide additional options. The ARK Official Community Wiki maintains the Survival Evolved configuration reference at Server configuration. Check whether an option belongs to Evolved before copying it: similarly named Ascended options are not automatically valid here.

Open the firewall and router

A server can be running locally and still be invisible to everyone else. The host firewall must allow the traffic, and the router must forward it to the host’s stable local address. Configure both layers for the ports in your actual startup command, not merely for defaults you no longer use.

Host firewall

Create inbound rules for UDP 7777, UDP 7778 and UDP 27015 on the server machine. If you changed Port or QueryPort, allow the replacement values instead. Add TCP 27020 only for an RCON setup. Restrict rules to the server executable or the intended network profile where your firewall supports that granularity.

On Windows, use Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security to create inbound rules for the executable or ports. On Linux, add equivalent rules in the firewall framework enabled by your distribution, then reload it and verify that the rules survived a reboot. Do not disable the firewall wholesale as a shortcut.

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Router forwarding

In the router’s port-forwarding page, create entries that send each public port to the server’s reserved local IP. Forward UDP 7777, UDP 7778 and UDP 27015; add TCP 27020 only if required. If you run a second instance, assign it a distinct game, peer and query port set, pass those values in its launch command, and create matching firewall and forwarding rules.

Some internet connections use carrier-grade NAT, which prevents inbound forwarding even when the router page looks correct. If local testing succeeds but players outside your network cannot connect, ask the ISP whether the connection has a public inbound address or a NAT restriction. A hosting environment with a public address may be necessary when the ISP cannot provide one.

Start the server and verify reachability

Watch the first launch

Run the script in the foreground and wait for the map to finish loading. Look for a clean process that remains running rather than exiting immediately. The first launch creates configuration and save directories, so allow it time to complete before stopping it. If it exits, read the final log lines for a bad path, invalid map, permission error or port conflict.

Find it in ARK

From a game client, choose the unofficial-server browser and search for the exact session name. Discovery can take time after startup. Ensure the browser filter is not hiding password-protected or unofficial servers. The server’s query port is what browser tools use to obtain listing information, so a game port that is open while UDP 27015 is blocked can still produce a missing listing.

Add it to Steam favorites

In the Steam client, open View → Game Servers (the label can vary slightly by client version), select Favorites, and use Add a Server. Enter the public address and the query port, for example your.public.address:27015 when the default is unchanged. This tests the browser path directly and avoids relying only on the in-game search list.

Test from outside the LAN

A connection made from the same home network can succeed through local routing even when the public forward is wrong. Have a player on another connection search for the server or use the Steam favorite entry. If nobody outside can see it, check the address, firewall profile, router destination and every configured port before changing gameplay settings.

Troubleshoot the common failure branches

The process closes immediately

• Confirm that the script’s working directory and executable path match the installation directory.
• Run the command without a service wrapper so the error remains visible.
• Check that the map name is valid and that the account running the process can write to the server directory.
• Look for another process already using the selected game or query port.
• Re-run SteamCMD app update 376030 to repair an incomplete installation.

The server runs but does not appear in search

• Verify that the configured query port, not only the game port, is allowed as UDP through the host firewall and router.
• Check that the router forwards to the current local IP and that the host firewall rule applies to the active network profile.
• Confirm the public address from a connection outside the server’s network; do not give players the private 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x address.
• Wait several minutes after startup and search the exact session name with the unofficial filter selected.
• Use the Steam favorite entry with the query port to separate listing problems from game-connection problems.

Players see the listing but cannot join

• Check UDP 7777 and UDP 7778 in both firewall and router rules.
• Make sure the public address and port match the instance that is actually running.
• Confirm that a join password is being supplied when one is configured, and do not confuse it with the administrator password.
• Check that the server is not full and that clients are using the same Survival Evolved game build expected by the server.

A second instance interferes with the first

Two processes cannot share the same listening ports. Give the second instance its own game, peer and query values, create a separate save/configuration location as appropriate for your deployment, and duplicate the corresponding firewall and router rules. Test each instance independently before advertising both.

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Keep the server updated

Stop the server cleanly before changing its files, then run the same SteamCMD update command used for installation:

steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit

Start the server again and watch the log for a successful map load. Schedule updates during a maintenance window and tell players when the server will be unavailable. After an update, test a client connection before changing configuration, because changing several variables at once makes a failure harder to isolate.

Do not assume that a guide written for another ARK product applies after an update. The Evolved configuration reference and dedicated-server documentation identify product-specific options; consult those pages when an argument is rejected or behavior changes.

Back up saves before maintenance

Stop the server, then copy the complete ShooterGame/Saved folder and its contents to a separate destination. Keep at least one copy away from the live server volume so a disk failure, accidental deletion or bad update cannot destroy both the running world and its backup. An external SSD is one optional physical destination; the setup procedure does not require a particular drive or capacity.

Use dated backup folders and periodically restore a copy to a test directory or spare instance. A backup that has never been checked may be incomplete. Protect the administrator password and any configuration files that contain it; a save copy is valuable, but it does not replace a secure record of the settings needed to reopen the world.

Self-hosting versus managed hosting

Self-hosting gives you direct control over the operating system, files, scripts, ports and backups, but you are responsible for updates, security, uptime and troubleshooting. Managed hosting can remove much of that administration, yet the provider’s exact resources and controls vary. No generic plan label proves that a service supports your map, player load or mod set.

Choose self-hosting when you can maintain a 64-bit machine, expose the required ports and perform your own backups. Consider managed hosting when you cannot obtain a publicly reachable connection or do not want to administer the operating system, but inspect the provider’s current documentation against every row in the table.

If you would rather skip the port forwarding and SteamCMD maintenance, Godlike.Host runs ARK: Survival Evolved servers with free DDoS protection, up to three free backups a day with restore, and a game panel with a task scheduler and SFTP access. Check the current plans against the table above before you commit.

Maintenance checklist

• Record the map, session name, player cap, ports and the location of the startup script.
• Keep the join password and administrator password separate, private and changeable.
• Watch CPU, memory, disk space and log growth during peak play rather than relying only on estimates.
• Apply SteamCMD updates during a planned window and test a client afterward.
• Copy ShooterGame/Saved to separate dated backup locations before updates, mod changes or configuration experiments.
• Review firewall and router rules after changing any port or moving the server to another machine.
• Remove unused public rules, RCON exposure and old scripts that contain superseded credentials.

Compatibility warning for older worlds

The setup documentation contains a separate preaquatica branch procedure and a compatibility warning. Treat that as a special recovery or compatibility case, not the normal installation path. If you must investigate an older branch, preserve the current ShooterGame/Saved backup first and verify that every client joining the test server uses the compatible build. Never roll back the live installation without a recoverable save copy.

What a successful deployment looks like

The final test is not merely that a console window stays open. A successful deployment has the expected Survival Evolved files from app ID 376030, a running map process, distinct join and administrator credentials, matching firewall and router rules for UDP 7777, UDP 7778 and UDP 27015, and an external player who can find and join it. Once those checks pass, updates and save backups turn a one-time installation into a server you can operate safely through future patches.

Quick Recap

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