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ARK: Survival Ascended Dedicated Server Setup on Windows VPS
Learn how to set up an ARK: Survival Ascended Dedicated Server on a Windows VPS for smooth gameplay and full server control → Learn more
10 November 20265 min read3 Views0 helpful
Introduction
Do you have a Windows VPS and want to install the ARK: Survival Ascended Dedicated Server on it? You’re in the right place. In this guide, we’ll explain step by step how to set up this service on your server.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Remote Desktop (RDP) access to your Windows server and SteamCMD, the command-line version of the Steam client.
Download it from the official Valve Developer website (developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD). Extract the downloaded steamcmd.zip, then run steamcmd.exe and wait for 'Loading Steam API.... OK' to appear.
After running 'login anonymous', use the command 'app_update 2430930' (Steam App ID 2430930).
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Software
Preparation
First, connect to your VPS using Remote Desktop (RDP). If you need help, follow our Initial Access (RDP) guide.
Once you have access to your server, you’ll need to set up SteamCMD so you can download the necessary Dedicated Server files. SteamCMD is the command-line version (CLI) of the Steam client and lets you easily download Steam Workshop and Dedicated Server files. Download SteamCMD from the official Valve website or directly here.
Create a new folder anywhere on your server; we’ll call it steamcmd here. Go to your Downloads folder, find the steamcmd.zip file you just downloaded, and move it to the steamcmd folder. Extract the file by right-clicking it and using Windows’ built-in extraction tool or a tool such as 7zip or Winrar. You should then see a steamcmd.exe file in the folder.
Simply run steamcmd.exe and wait for the installation to finish.
Once the message Loading Steam API.... OK appears, the process has completed successfully and you can continue with the ARK: Survival Ascended Dedicated Server installation in the next section.
Configuration
At this point, you’ve completed the basic installation of your ARK: Survival Ascended Dedicated Server. You can change additional settings in two configuration files in the server directory.
Here you’ll find the DefaultGameUserSettings.ini and GameUserSettings.ini files. You can use them to customize many variables and options for your server.
Warning
CROSSPLAY SUPPORT
Since November 18, 2023, server owners have had to manually install the certificate revocation list, which you can download from https://dev.epicgames.com/ (or directly from http://crl.r2m02.amazontrust.com/r2m02.crl). You must install the downloaded r2m02.crl file (right-click the file), select "Place all certificates in the following store," and choose "Trusted Root Certification Authorities." A system restart may be required.
If the r2m02.cer certificate was installed before November 18, 2023 and the server isn’t showing up, you must remove the certificate to make the servers visible again. To do this, open certmgr.msc (Windows + R) and look for Amazon RSA 2048 M02 under Trusted Root Certification Authorities. The same applies to certlm.msc. A restart may be required afterward.
Be sure to install Microsoft Visual C++ 2015 Redistributable on your Windows VPS before trying to start the server. It’s an important dependency, and your server won’t start without it.
After installing it, you can start the server by running the start-ark.bat file you created earlier.
This opens the server console in a command-line window and starts the server. If everything works, your server will appear in the server list. Alternatively, you can connect directly by entering open [deine_ip_adresse]:7777 in the in-game console.
Conclusion
Congratulations, you’ve successfully installed and configured your ARK: Survival Ascended server on your VPS! If you have any questions or run into any issues, our support team is available every day and will be happy to help!
Server hosting from €2.49 / month, online instantly, DDoS protection included.
After installation, you should be able to run commands in the steamcmd.exe command-line window. First, set the installation directory, then log in as the anonymous user:
Always set force_install_dir before login anonymous. Otherwise, SteamCMD will display a warning and may put the files in the wrong folder.
Now start the download with this command:
Code
app_update 2430930 validate
The App ID 2430930 is for the ARK: Survival Ascended Dedicated Server. Once the message Success! App '2430930' fully installed. appears, the download is complete. Enter quit to exit SteamCMD.
Info
Don’t interrupt the process before it finishes to avoid errors. It may take a moment, but patience pays off! :)
Create the startup file
After the download completes successfully, go to the installation directory and open this subfolder:
Here, you’ll need to create a startup file to launch the Dedicated Server. Create a file named start-ark.bat. You can create a text document first and then rename it to .bat.
Info
Make sure the "Show file name extensions" option is enabled in File Explorer so the file gets the correct extension.
Open the file with a text editor (e.g., Notepad++) and add the following content:
Your server will be available locally at 127.0.0.1:7777 once you run the startup file and the server is online. However, to make the server publicly accessible, you’ll also need to configure Windows Firewall port rules, as explained in the next section.
Open the ports for your server
To make your server publicly accessible, you’ll need to configure port rules for the ports used by the Dedicated Server. You can do this directly in PowerShell (the easier option) or through Windows Defender Firewall.
Open Windows Search and search for PowerShell. Right-click it and select Run as administrator to ensure you have the necessary permissions.
Info
Make sure to run PowerShell as an administrator; otherwise, the settings won’t be applied correctly.
These commands automatically create the necessary firewall rules to make your ARK: Survival Ascended server publicly accessible.
Use Windows Search to open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. If you only see the basic firewall, click Advanced settings to open the correct window.
Create new rules for your ARK: Survival Ascended server. To do this, click Inbound Rules and Outbound Rules, then add the following protocols and ports:
Once you’ve added the rules, your server will be publicly accessible. You can connect using your server’s IP address by entering open [deine_ip_adresse]:7777 in the ARK: Survival Ascended in-game console.
We recommend configuring your server settings before connecting.
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