Do you have a Windows VPS or Dedicated Server and want to install an ARK: Survival Evolved Dedicated Server on it? You’re in the right place. This guide walks you through installing the server with SteamCMD, opening the required ports, configuring it, and keeping it up to date.
Prefer not to install it yourself? You can also get ARK: Survival Evolved as a ready-to-use game server from us. You can conveniently manage installation, updates, and configuration in the web interface. You’ll find all the guides in the ARK: Survival Evolved category.
You can now run commands in the steamcmd.exe command prompt. First, set the installation directory, then log in as the anonymous user:
force_install_dir C:\ARK-Survival-Evolved-Server
login anonymous
Always run force_install_dir before login anonymous. Otherwise, SteamCMD will display a warning and may place the files in the wrong folder.
Now start the download with this command:
app_update 376030 validate
The App ID 376030 is for the ARK: Survival Evolved Dedicated Server. Once the message Success! App '376030' fully installed. appears, the download is complete. Enter quit to exit SteamCMD.
To avoid errors, don’t interrupt the process before it has finished. The download is several gigabytes in size and may take a while.
In the installation directory, navigate to this subfolder:
C:\ARK-Survival-Evolved-Server\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64
Create a file here named start-ark.bat. You can create a text document first, then rename it to .bat.
Make sure File name extensions is enabled in File Explorer so the file really ends in .bat and not .bat.txt.
Open the file in a text editor (e.g., Notepad++) and add the following:
start ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?listen?SessionName=[server_name]?ServerAdminPassword=[admin_password]?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?MaxPlayers=[max_players]
exit
Replace [server_name], [admin_password], and [max_players] with the values you want to use. Don’t use spaces in the server name, or replace them with underscores; otherwise, the startup command will be cut off at that point. TheIsland is the map. Other official maps include ScorchedEarth_P, Aberration_P, Extinction, Ragnarok, TheCenter, Valguero_P, CrystalIsles, LostIsland, and Fjordur. Players must own DLC maps to join.
To set a password for regular players, add ?ServerPassword=[join_password]. To also control the server remotely via RCON, add ?RCONEnabled=True?RCONPort=27020. Your ServerAdminPassword will be used as the RCON password. With both additions, the command looks like this:
start ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?listen?SessionName=[server_name]?ServerPassword=[join_password]?ServerAdminPassword=[admin_password]?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?MaxPlayers=[max_players]?RCONEnabled=True?RCONPort=27020
exit
Save the file once you’ve made your changes.
To make your server publicly accessible, you need to open the ports in the Windows Firewall. ARK: Survival Evolved uses these ports by default:
| Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Game port |
| 7778 | UDP | Peer port (always game port + 1) |
| 27015 | UDP | Query port for the Steam server list |
| 27020 | TCP | RCON (only if enabled) |
Open Windows Search, search for PowerShell, right-click it, and select Run as administrator.
Be sure to run PowerShell as an administrator, otherwise the rules won’t be created.
Enter the following commands:
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "ARK SE Server UDP" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 7777,7778,27015 -Protocol UDP -Action Allow
New-NetFirewallRule -DisplayName "ARK SE Server RCON" -Direction Inbound -LocalPort 27020 -Protocol TCP -Action Allow
You only need the second rule if you’ve enabled RCON. If you specify different ports in the startup file, update the rules accordingly.
Alternatively, you can create the rules under Inbound Rules in Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security. Our guide to opening ports for the VPS or the Dedicated Server explains how.
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