For a default dedicated ARK: Survival Evolved server, forward UDP 7777 for gameplay, UDP 7778 for the peer connection, and UDP 27015 for the Steam server-browser query. Forward TCP 27020 only when you enable RCON. The rules must point from your internet-facing router to the computer running ShooterGameServer, and the same traffic must be allowed through that computer’s operating-system firewall.
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The peer port is always the game port plus one. A stable LAN address, matching server launch settings, and correctly selected UDP or TCP protocols are essential. The ARK Official Community Wiki, accessed October 15, 2026, notes that manual forwarding may be needed because ShooterGameServer does not support UPnP or other automatic port-forwarding protocols.
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These are the standard ports for one dedicated server instance. Unless you deliberately change the server configuration, use these values in both the router and the host firewall.
| Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Game traffic used by players connecting to the server |
| 7778 | UDP | Peer port; automatically the game port plus one |
| 27015 | UDP | Steam server-browser query port |
| 27020 | TCP | Optional RCON remote-console port |
Do not substitute TCP for the three gameplay and discovery ports. RCON is the exception: it uses TCP and should be forwarded only if you have enabled RCON and need remote console access.
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What each port does
Game port: UDP 7777
The game port carries the real-time session traffic between connected players and the dedicated server. If it is not reachable, players generally cannot establish a game connection even when the server appears in a browser.
Peer port: UDP 7778
ARK uses a second UDP port immediately after the game port. With the default game port of 7777, the peer port is 7778. If you move the game port to another value, calculate the peer port as game port + 1; it is not an arbitrary number.
Query port: UDP 27015
The query port answers Steam’s server-browser requests. A server can have its game traffic forwarded correctly yet fail to appear in listings when the query port is blocked or when the configured query value does not match the router rule.
RCON: TCP 27020
RCON provides remote administration through a console connection. It is optional and separate from player connectivity. If RCON is disabled, there is no reason to expose TCP 27020. If it is enabled, create a TCP rule, not a UDP rule, and protect the RCON credentials.
Prepare the server computer before creating rules
Give the host a stable LAN address
Port forwarding targets a private address such as 192.168.1.50. If the router later gives that computer a different address, the forwarding rule still points to the old device and the server becomes unreachable from the internet.
Use your router’s DHCP-reservation feature when available. Reserve the current address for the server computer’s network adapter, or configure an equivalent static address outside the router’s DHCP pool. Record the address, because you will enter it as the destination for every forwarding rule.
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- Confirm that the reserved address belongs to the machine running
ShooterGameServer, not a gaming PC that only joins the server. - Keep the computer connected to the same router or gateway whose public internet connection players will use.
- If the host has both wired and wireless adapters, make the reservation for the adapter that actually runs the server.
Identify the internet-facing router
Forwarding must be configured on the router that owns the public-facing connection. In a network with multiple routers, mesh nodes, or an ISP gateway followed by a personal router, the first device may be doing NAT while the second device contains the server. In that arrangement, a rule on only one device is insufficient; the traffic must reach the LAN containing the host.
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Check the server’s chosen ports
Before opening anything, decide whether this is the default instance or a custom one. The router rules, firewall rules, and ShooterGameServer launch arguments must all use the same game and query values. A typo in any one of those places creates a port mismatch rather than a game bug.
Forward the ports on a home router
Router labels vary: look for Port Forwarding, NAT, Virtual Server, or Applications and Gaming. The exact menu name depends on the manufacturer and firmware, but the values and directions are the same.
- Sign in to the router. Open its administration address from a device on the LAN and authenticate with an administrator account.
- Open the forwarding screen. Choose the port-forwarding or NAT section, then create a new rule for the server’s reserved LAN address.
- Add the game rule. Enter external and internal port 7777, select UDP, and set the destination to the server computer’s stable LAN address.
- Add the peer rule. Enter external and internal port 7778, select UDP, and use the same destination address.
- Add the query rule. Enter external and internal port 27015, select UDP, and again target the server computer.
- Add RCON only when required. If RCON is enabled, forward external and internal port 27020 as TCP to the same host. Do not add this rule merely because it appears in a port list.
- Save and apply. Some routers restart networking or require an explicit Apply button. Wait for the configuration to finish before testing.
Use separate rules when the router does not accept a range or mixed protocols. A single UDP range covering 7777–7778 is equivalent for the game and peer ports, but the query port remains a separate UDP entry. RCON must remain a separate TCP entry.
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Router forwarding gets packets to the LAN; the operating-system firewall still decides whether the server process may receive them. Create inbound rules on the computer that runs ShooterGameServer.
Windows Defender Firewall
Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security, choose Inbound Rules, and select New Rule. Choose Port, select UDP, and specify the local ports 7777 and 7778. You can enter them as a comma-separated list or create two rules. Repeat the process for UDP 27015. Choose Allow the connection, apply the profiles appropriate to the network, name the rules clearly, and finish the wizard.
If RCON is enabled, create another inbound rule using TCP and local port 27020. Keep the protocol separate so a broad UDP rule does not accidentally become your RCON rule. If a third-party security suite controls the firewall, make the equivalent inbound exceptions there as well.
Linux with UFW
On a host using UFW, allow the two adjacent UDP game ports and the UDP query port:
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sudo ufw allow 7777:7778/udp
sudo ufw allow 27015/udpAdd RCON only when it is enabled:
sudo ufw allow 27020/tcpCheck the resulting policy with sudo ufw status numbered and remove any obsolete rule that opens the same ports to an unintended interface.
Linux with firewalld
For firewalld, add permanent UDP services or ports, reload, and inspect the active zone:
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=7777-7778/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=27015/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --reload
sudo firewall-cmd --list-portsWhen RCON is enabled, add 27020/tcp before reloading. Confirm that the rules were added to the zone attached to the server’s network interface.
Linux with iptables
A host managed directly with iptables needs equivalent inbound accepts, for example:
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 7777 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 7778 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 27015 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 27020 -j ACCEPTApply the TCP rule only for an enabled RCON service, and use your distribution’s persistence mechanism so the rules survive a reboot. Existing default-deny policies, cloud-init rules, or container firewalls can still override these entries.
Start ARK with matching configuration
The server process must listen on the same values that you forwarded. For the default instance, set the launch configuration to Port=7777 and QueryPort=27015. The peer port follows automatically as the game port plus one, so the corresponding peer value is 7778.
If you choose custom values, change the router and firewall rules to those values and retain the plus-one relationship for the peer port. Do not forward the default ports while launching the server on another pair. After starting the process, inspect its startup output or configuration file to verify that it accepted the intended ports and did not fall back because another process already owns them.
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RCON configuration is independent. Enable it only when needed, set its listening port to the forwarded TCP value, and verify that the RCON password and access controls are configured before exposing the port.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Verify that players can find the server
- Start the dedicated server. Wait until the map is loaded and the process reports that it is listening.
- Check the ARK unofficial server list. Search for the server name and confirm that it appears with the expected map and session settings.
- Check Steam’s server browser. Use the server’s public IP address and query port. Steam favorites can use the form
IP:QUERYPORT; when the query port is above 27019, specify it explicitly rather than relying on a default. - Test from outside the LAN. A device on the same network may not accurately test the internet path, depending on router behavior. Have a remote player or an external connection check the listing and join attempt.
- Compare every layer. If the server is absent, compare the launch values, router destination address, router protocol, host-firewall protocol, and the query port used in the browser.
A browser listing confirms that the query service is reachable; it does not by itself prove that every gameplay path is correctly configured. A real join attempt is the final check for the game and peer ports.
Run multiple dedicated servers on one network
Every instance needs its own game, peer, query, and—when used—RCON ports. Never point two server processes at the same port. The documented sequence increments the game and peer ports by two and the query and RCON ports by one:
| Instance | Game UDP | Peer UDP | Query UDP | RCON TCP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 7777 | 7778 | 27015 | 27020 |
| 2 | 7779 | 7780 | 27016 | 27021 |
| 3 | 7781 | 7782 | 27017 | 27022 |
For instance 2, for example, launch the process with game port 7779 and query port 27016, forward UDP 7779, UDP 7780, and UDP 27016 to the same host, and add TCP 27021 only if that instance uses RCON. Repeat the pattern for additional instances while checking that no other application has claimed a selected port.
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Troubleshoot a LAN-only or invisible server
The server works locally but not from the internet
- Check that the router rule targets the host’s current reserved LAN address, not an old DHCP address.
- Confirm that the rule is enabled and that the router’s WAN connection is the one carrying the public address.
- Verify that UDP 7777 and UDP 7778 are forwarded; opening only the query port can make a server visible without allowing a join.
- Mirror the same ports in the host firewall and confirm that the rule applies to the active network profile or interface.
The server does not appear in the browser
- Confirm that the query setting is 27015 for the default instance, or the custom query value chosen for that instance.
- Make sure the router and firewall rule use UDP, not TCP.
- Search Steam with the public IP and the correct query port. For values above 27019, include the port explicitly in the favorite entry.
- Check the server startup output for a bind failure or a different effective query port.
- Use Steam’s master-server address check if the server still does not appear, then compare the result with the configured query port.
Players see the listing but cannot join
This usually points to the gameplay path rather than discovery. Recheck UDP 7777 and UDP 7778 at both the router and host firewall, then confirm that the launch configuration still uses the forwarded game port. Restart the server after changing its arguments so the new listeners are active.
RCON cannot connect
RCON requires TCP 27020 for the default instance, not UDP. Confirm that RCON is actually enabled, that its configured port matches the forwarded port, and that the host firewall has a TCP rule. For a second or third instance, use its dedicated RCON value rather than reusing 27020.
Rules look correct but the public address is unreachable
Some networks place the customer router behind another NAT layer or carrier-grade NAT. In that case, the router may not have a directly reachable public address, and ordinary forwarding on the inner router cannot accept unsolicited internet traffic. Ask the internet provider whether inbound connections are permitted and whether a public address or bridge mode is available. If you host on a VPS, follow the provider’s firewall and networking instructions in addition to the ARK server configuration; the provider may filter traffic outside the operating-system firewall.
Maintenance and security checklist
- Keep the server computer’s LAN reservation intact and review it after replacing a network adapter or router.
- Document each instance’s game, peer, query, and RCON values so a later change does not create collisions.
- Remove unused forwarding and firewall rules, especially old RCON entries.
- Limit RCON exposure to the addresses and administrators that need it, use a strong password, and avoid forwarding it when remote administration is unnecessary.
- After changing
PortorQueryPort, update the router and firewall before testing the listing. - Retest both browser visibility and an actual remote join after router firmware, ISP, or host-firewall changes.
Quick reference
For one default dedicated server, forward UDP 7777, UDP 7778, and UDP 27015 from the public-facing router to the stable LAN address of ShooterGameServer. Allow the same UDP traffic through the host firewall. Add TCP 27020 only for RCON. Launch with Port=7777 and QueryPort=27015, then verify the server in ARK’s unofficial list, Steam’s browser, and a remote join attempt. For additional instances, assign unique ports using the documented incrementing pattern and repeat the router, firewall, and launch-configuration checks for each process.
Quick Recap
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