To host an ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated server on Windows, install Valve SteamCMD, download server app 2430930 into a folder such as C:arkserver, create a batch file that starts ArkAscendedServer.exe, configure the files under ShooterGameSavedConfigWindowsServer, and expose the required ports in both Windows Firewall and your router. ASA uses -port=<port> for the game port; the older ?port=<port> syntax makes the server fall back to port 7777.
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What you need before installing
A Windows ASA server is a program running on a computer that remains online. Players connect to that computer rather than to a non-dedicated session tied to someone’s game client. Before downloading anything, prepare the following:
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The Tool Desk
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- Runtime components: Install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable for x64 and the June 2010 DirectX End-User Runtimes.
- Administrative access: You need permission to install SteamCMD, create firewall rules, and edit router port-forwarding rules.
- A permanent server folder: Use a simple path such as
C:arkserver. Avoid a location that is difficult to back up or subject to restrictive permissions. - A stable local IP address: Router forwarding must always target the Windows computer hosting ASA. Reserve that computer’s address in the router or configure an equivalent static assignment.
- Reachability from the internet: Players outside your home network need a reachable public address and router forwarding. A firewall rule alone does not publish the server.
There is no single authoritative CPU, memory, bandwidth, or player-capacity specification that guarantees a particular experience. Load changes with the map, mods, player count, and server settings, so treat hardware planning as a workload decision rather than a fixed minimum.
Know the ports before you configure anything
A single ASA instance normally uses this documented pattern:
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| Purpose | Protocol | Typical port | When it is needed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | UDP | 7777 | Required for players to play |
| Peer traffic | UDP | 7778 | Required alongside the game port |
| Steam query traffic | UDP | 27015 | Allows server discovery and status queries |
| RCON administration | TCP | 27020 | Only when RCON is enabled |
The game and peer ports are separate even though both use UDP. The query port is also separate; a server can be running while remaining invisible in a browser if the query port is wrong or blocked. RCON is optional and should not be opened unless you have deliberately enabled and secured it.
For more than one instance, every instance needs a non-overlapping set of game, peer, query, and, if used, RCON ports. The values in the launch command, Windows Firewall, and router forwarding table must agree for each instance.
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Install Windows prerequisites and SteamCMD
Install the required runtimes
- Install the Microsoft Visual C++ 2013 Redistributable x64.
- Install the June 2010 DirectX End-User Runtimes.
- Restart Windows if either installer requests it.
These components are prerequisites for the dedicated-server binaries, not replacements for the game server itself.
Place SteamCMD in a known directory
- Download SteamCMD from Valve’s official distribution channel.
- Extract it to a folder such as
C:SteamCMD. - Run it once so it can create its supporting files and update itself.
Keeping SteamCMD separate from the ASA installation makes future updates easier and leaves the server directory available for backups.
Download the ASA dedicated server with app ID 2430930
Create C:arkserver before downloading. You can run the following inside the SteamCMD prompt:
force_install_dir C:arkserver
login anonymous
app_update 2430930 validate
quitThe same operation can be performed from a Windows command prompt, using the path to steamcmd.exe:
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steamcmd +force_install_dir C:arkserver +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quit2430930 is the ASA dedicated-server application ID. The validate option checks the downloaded files and can take considerable time on the first installation or after a large update. When SteamCMD finishes, confirm that the server executable exists below the installation directory, normally under ShooterGameBinariesWin64.
Create a Windows launch batch file
Use the server’s binaries directory
In C:arkserverShooterGameBinariesWin64, create a file named start-asa.bat. A practical starting template is:
@echo off
cd /d C:arkserverShooterGameBinariesWin64
ArkAscendedServer.exe TheIsland_WP?listen?SessionName=MyASA_Server -port=7777 -QueryPort=27015 -MaxPlayers=20 -log
pauseThis example starts the listed map, gives the session a browser name, assigns the game port, assigns the query port, sets a 20-player cap, and keeps logging enabled. Replace the map token and session name with your choices. The exact map token must match the map installed on the server.
Do not use the old port syntax
ASA’s launch syntax is different from older ARK server examples. Use -port=7777, not ?port=7777. The official wiki states that using the older form causes ASA to default to port 7777, which can make a custom port assignment appear to be ignored.
“ARK: Survival Ascended requires
-port=<port>instead of?port=<port>. Otherwise it will always default to 7777.”
If you change the game or query port, change it everywhere: the batch file, Windows Firewall rules, and router forwarding entries.
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Set administrator access separately
Put persistent server settings in the configuration files rather than relying on a temporary command window. The administrator password belongs in GameUserSettings.ini; use a strong value and do not publish it in screenshots, forum posts, or shared batch files. The launch window’s -log option is useful during initial testing because it leaves startup messages visible.
Edit the ASA configuration files
Stop the server before editing its configuration. The persistent Windows configuration directory is:
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Use GameUserSettings.ini for server-facing settings such as the session name, passwords, player-related options, and other settings exposed by the server configuration. If the file is not present after the first run, start the server once, stop it cleanly, and check the directory again.
Game.ini
Use Game.ini for advanced game rules and gameplay adjustments. Make one controlled change at a time, save the file as plain text, and retain a copy of the previous version so that a bad setting can be reversed.
Back up before changing files
The ShooterGameSaved directory contains the information you will most want to preserve, including saved-world data and configuration. Back it up before changing server builds, adding mods, or making broad configuration edits. A dated copy outside the live server directory is safer than relying on a file that can be overwritten during an update.
Allow the server through Windows Firewall
Windows Firewall and the router perform different jobs. Firewall rules permit traffic to reach the application on the Windows host; router forwarding sends internet traffic to that host.
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- Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
- Select Inbound Rules, then choose New Rule.
- Choose Port, select UDP, and enter the game and peer ports, normally
7777-7778. - Allow the connection for the network profiles that apply to your server, and give the rule a clear name such as
ASA Game and Peer UDP. - Create another inbound UDP rule for the query port, normally
27015. - If you intentionally enable RCON, create a separate TCP rule for
27020. Do not open it merely because the server is installed.
Separate rules make it easier to disable RCON or diagnose one port without changing the others. If you use non-default ports, enter those values instead of the examples above.
Forward the ports on your router
- Find the Windows host’s current local IPv4 address.
- Reserve that address for the computer in the router’s DHCP or LAN settings.
- Open the router’s port-forwarding or NAT page.
- Create forwarding entries for UDP
7777, UDP7778, and UDP27015to the host’s local IP address. - Add TCP
27020only if RCON is enabled and you accept the security implications. - Save the router configuration and restart networking only if the router requires it.
Forward the same external and internal port numbers unless you have a deliberate translation scheme and have reflected that scheme in the launch configuration. If the host receives a new local IP address, old forwarding rules can silently point to the wrong computer.
Some internet connections do not provide a directly reachable public IPv4 address. If local players can connect but outside players cannot despite matching firewall and forwarding rules, ask the internet provider whether the connection is behind carrier-grade NAT or otherwise lacks inbound reachability.
Start the server and perform a controlled test
Check the process first
- Run
start-asa.batas the account that owns the server files. - Watch the console for startup errors and confirm that log output continues instead of the process closing immediately.
- Wait for the world to finish loading before testing discovery.
A window that closes at once usually indicates a path, runtime, permission, or command-line problem. Run the batch file from an existing Command Prompt if you need to read the final error.
Test from the same network
Have a second device on the LAN look for the server or connect using the game’s available server-connection workflow. This test isolates the ASA process and Windows Firewall from the router and public internet. If LAN testing fails, do not troubleshoot public forwarding yet; first verify the executable path, map name, game port, and local firewall rules.
Test from outside the LAN
Once local access works, test from a genuinely external connection. Confirm that the router forwards to the same local IP shown on the host and that your server-browser filters are not hiding the session. Query traffic uses UDP 27015 in the typical configuration, so a blocked or mismatched query port can prevent listing even when the game process is running.
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Updating without losing the world
- Announce maintenance and stop the server cleanly.
- Copy the complete
ShooterGameSaveddirectory to a dated backup location. - Run the SteamCMD update command again:
steamcmd +force_install_dir C:arkserver +login anonymous +app_update 2430930 validate +quit. - Review configuration files after the update and confirm that your launch batch still uses the intended ports.
- Start the server and inspect the log before inviting players back.
Running SteamCMD before planned starts or after an ASA update keeps the server files current. Backups are especially important when changing builds or installing mods, because a compatibility problem may require restoring the previous saved data and configuration.
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Troubleshooting by symptom
The server process will not stay open
- Confirm that the batch file changes directory to
ShooterGameBinariesWin64. - Check that the Visual C++ 2013 x64 package and June 2010 DirectX runtime are installed.
- Run the batch file from Command Prompt so an error is not hidden when the window closes.
- Verify the map token and remove recently added options until the process starts.
The server starts, but the browser shows nothing
- Confirm that the query port in the launch command matches the UDP firewall rule and router forwarding entry.
- Check that the browser is showing the correct server category and has no filters excluding the session.
- Make sure the server has completed world loading; a process that has only begun initialization may not answer queries yet.
Players on the LAN can join, but internet players cannot
- Verify the Windows rules first, then verify router forwarding to the host’s current local IP.
- Check that both game UDP ports and the query UDP port were forwarded, not just the port visible in the launch line.
- Confirm that the connection has a reachable public address and is not behind a provider-level NAT.
The server appears to use port 7777 despite your setting
Inspect the batch file for the exact ASA form -port=<port>. If it contains ?port=<port>, replace it, restart the server, and align the firewall and router rules with the corrected value.
A second instance interferes with the first
Compare every instance’s game, peer, query, and RCON assignment. Duplicate ports, overlapping forwarding rules, or two batch files pointing to the same saved-data directory can produce confusing startup and discovery failures. Give each instance its own non-overlapping ports and its intended configuration and save locations.
Self-hosting versus managed Windows hosting
Running the server yourself gives you direct control, but it also makes you responsible for every operating-system and network task. A managed service can remove much of that administration. Compare the options using the practical differences below rather than assuming one is universally better:
| Decision area | Self-hosted Windows server | Managed hosting |
|---|---|---|
| INI files and mods | Direct access to files and launch options | Depends on the provider’s panel and support policy |
| Multiple instances | You assign processes, ports, and resources yourself | Availability depends on the selected service and plan |
| Updates and backups | You schedule SteamCMD updates and copy ShooterGameSaved |
The provider may automate some tasks; confirm exactly what is included |
| Firewall and router work | You create Windows rules and NAT forwarding | The host usually handles the public network edge |
| Public-IP requirements | Your connection must accept inbound traffic | The service supplies the public endpoint |
| Cost | Uses your existing computer and connection, with their electricity and maintenance costs | Recurring charges vary by resources, location, and support level |
| Support | You diagnose Windows, ASA, and networking issues | Response times and ASA-specific expertise vary by provider |
Choose self-hosting when you want full control and are comfortable maintaining Windows and networking. Choose managed hosting when avoiding SteamCMD, firewall rules, router forwarding, updates, and backups is worth the recurring fee and reduced system control.
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