Choose non-dedicated co-op if two or three friends usually play together, do not mind staying near the host, and want the fastest setup. Choose a dedicated server if players need to split up, the world must remain available when the original host is offline, or you need more control over settings and administration. Renting a server is the practical dedicated option when nobody wants to maintain a separate computer.
What is the difference between non-dedicated co-op and a dedicated server?
In a non-dedicated session, one player hosts the ARK world from the same game client they use to play. Friends join that host’s session. It is close to single-player, except the game continues running when the host opens the pause menu. The ARK Official Community Wiki describes it as “almost the exact same as a single player session,” with the host remaining part of the session.
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A dedicated server runs the world separately from every player’s game client. The host can be a spare PC, a rented game server, or another machine that runs the server process. Players then connect to that process as clients. The server can continue running while its owner is not actively playing, provided the machine and server software stay online.
| Question | Non-dedicated co-op | Dedicated server |
|---|---|---|
| Fastest way to start? | Yes. Start a multiplayer session and invite friends. | No. Install, configure and operate a separate server. |
| Can players explore far apart? | Limited by an approximately 250 m host barrier unless the applicable tether setting is changed. | Yes. Players are not pulled back to a player-host’s location. |
| Must the original host be playing? | Normally yes; the session is tied to the host’s active game. | No. The server process can run independently of a player’s local game. |
| Administration and settings | Uses local host settings and offers fewer server-management options. | Supports deliberate server configuration, administration and, where supported, mod management. |
| Hardware and maintenance | No separate server machine is required. | Requires a suitable machine or a rented server, plus updates, networking and backups. |
When non-dedicated co-op is the right choice
Small groups playing the same activity
For two or three people who gather, build and fight in the same area, non-dedicated co-op avoids almost all server administration. The host creates the session, invites friends and changes the available local settings before starting. There is no separate operating-system installation, server update cycle or dedicated backup routine to manage.
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Occasional sessions with a dependable host
This mode works when everyone’s schedule follows the host’s. The world is normally available only while that player has the session open. If the host is away, friends cannot simply enter the same world and continue independently.
Groups that accept the tether
The host/local-settings documentation describes an approximately 250 m barrier in a non-dedicated session. When another player moves too far away, the game pulls that player back toward the host. The exact behavior and available controls can vary by ARK edition and settings, but the important limitation remains: non-dedicated play is designed around a shared area, not four independent expeditions.
How to start a non-dedicated ARK session
- Confirm the edition first. Everyone should own the same ARK edition, such as ARK: Survival Evolved or ARK: Survival Ascended. Their server and crossplay rules are not interchangeable.
- Have the host open the multiplayer/local host screen. Select the desired map and review the local settings before launching. Tether-distance controls, where exposed by that edition, apply to non-dedicated sessions.
- Set gameplay and access options. Choose difficulty, harvesting, taming, structure and player settings. Use a password or invite-only option if the session should remain private.
- Launch the non-dedicated session. The host remains in the game and acts as the session anchor.
- Invite friends through the platform’s normal multiplayer interface. Friends must be running the compatible edition and version, then accept the host’s invitation or find the session through the in-game browser.
- Stay near the host when travelling. Separate resource runs, distant bases and cave trips can trigger the tether. Plan activities in the same region or move the group together.
Non-dedicated play is not a permanent-world solution. Saving still protects the world when the host exits normally, but it does not make the session independently joinable while the host is offline.
Why the non-dedicated tether matters
The roughly 250 m barrier changes how a group can play. One person cannot comfortably remain at a base while another searches a distant biome, and players may be dragged through terrain when the distance limit is reached. Building separate settlements, scouting different caves or splitting up to collect resources is therefore awkward even when the session itself is stable.
Increasing a tether-distance setting, when the edition exposes one, may make the playable area larger but does not turn the session into a persistent dedicated server. It also does not remove the host-online requirement. If independent travel is central to the group’s plan, starting with a dedicated server avoids designing the entire play session around that constraint.
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What a dedicated server changes
Independent exploration
Because the server is separate from a player’s game client, each survivor can travel, build and gather anywhere on the map without being pulled back to a host. Players can log in at different times and continue using the same world, as long as the server process is running.
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A dedicated server is not automatically an official server. A private server that you rent or run yourself is still dedicated if the server software operates separately from the players’ clients. Persistence depends on uptime: if the machine is shut down, the process crashes or maintenance is in progress, the world is unavailable until the server returns.
More administration
Dedicated configuration lets an owner set server-wide gameplay rules, access controls and platform modes rather than relying only on a local host menu. Depending on the edition and platform, administration can also include passwords, player permissions, scheduled restarts, backups and mod management. Those controls bring responsibility: an incorrect setting, incompatible mod or failed update can prevent players from joining.
How to run a dedicated server yourself
Self-hosting is feasible when someone has a machine that can stay online and is comfortable maintaining software and a home network. The official community setup material documents SteamCMD installation and platform-specific server configuration. Windows Server installations may require additional certificate configuration for relevant crossplay scenarios.
- Choose the exact edition and platform combination. Decide whether the server is for Evolved or Ascended and identify every client platform before installing anything.
- Prepare a separate machine. Use a computer that can run the server continuously without competing heavily with the owner’s game. Install the supported operating system updates and reserve enough disk space for the game files, saved world, logs and backups.
- Install SteamCMD or the edition’s supported server tool. Follow the current official setup instructions for the operating system and download the server files for the selected edition.
- Configure the server. Set the map, name, password, player limit, gameplay multipliers and platform mode. Keep a written copy of important settings so they can be restored after an update.
- Configure networking and firewall access. Allow the server application through the operating-system firewall and configure the network rules required by the current edition. Exact ports and procedures differ by edition and hosting environment, so use the matching official documentation rather than copying settings from a different ARK release.
- Start the server process and wait for the world to initialize. The first launch may take longer while files and the save are created. Verify that the process remains running after the console reports readiness.
- Test with one friend. Confirm that the server appears in the correct in-game browser or can be reached through the configured address before inviting the whole group.
- Plan maintenance. Stop the server cleanly before updates, copy the world save regularly, monitor available storage and check mod compatibility after every game or server update.
How much hardware does a dedicated server need?
There is no single universal memory requirement. Demand changes with the map, connected-player count, world age, number of structures and creatures, stored items, configuration and installed mods. A published example for The Island lists approximately 3.5–4.5 GiB of memory; that is an example for that workload, not a guaranteed minimum for every map or group.
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- Map and world age: larger or long-running worlds generally retain more data.
- Players and activity: more simultaneous players and busy bases increase simulation work.
- Structures and creatures: dense construction and large tamed populations add ongoing load.
- Mods: mod files consume storage and can increase memory or processing demand; they can also introduce version conflicts.
- Storage and backups: reserve space beyond the initial installation for saves, logs, updates and multiple backup copies.
Watch actual memory, processor, disk and network use after the group has played for several days. A machine that launches the server successfully can still become unstable as the world grows.
Should you rent an ARK server?
Renting is the straightforward choice when nobody has a spare computer, reliable home upload capacity or time for server maintenance. The provider runs the machine and usually supplies a control panel, automated restarts and some backup tools. You still remain responsible for choosing compatible settings, managing passwords and checking that the service supports your edition and player platforms.
| Check before ordering | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Game edition | ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended require different server support. |
| Platform and crossplay support | A server may support PC clients, consoles or a specific combination rather than every platform. |
| Region and latency | A nearby location usually gives the group a more responsive connection. |
| Player slots | Make sure the limit covers the whole group and any expected guests. |
| Mods and configuration access | Verify that the control panel supports the mods, settings and administrative controls you actually need. |
| Backups and restoration | Automatic backups are useful only if you can see their frequency and restore procedure. |
| Cancellation and billing | Check renewal terms, world-file access and what happens when the subscription ends. |
Provider prices, supported editions and promotional terms change, so verify those details immediately before subscribing. A rented server removes much of the infrastructure work; it does not remove the need to choose the correct edition and configuration.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Can friends on different platforms play together?
Do not treat “ARK” as one universal crossplay environment. ARK: Survival Evolved and ARK: Survival Ascended are separate editions, and their platform rules differ. A server configured for one edition cannot be joined by a client running the other.
The configuration documentation lists platform modes for PC and console combinations. An Xbox announcement for ARK: Survival Evolved specifically documents Xbox/Windows 10 cross-play and mentions both player-hosted dedicated and non-dedicated sessions. That does not establish that every PC storefront, console or edition can join every other one.
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- Write down each friend’s exact edition, platform and game version.
- Confirm that the target server explicitly supports that combination.
- Check whether crossplay requires a particular server platform mode or additional Windows configuration.
- Test one player from each platform before paying for a long hosting term or investing in a large world.
If one friend owns Evolved and another owns Ascended, purchasing or configuring a server will not bridge that edition difference. Everyone needs access to the edition the server runs.
Choosing between the two modes
| Your situation | Best fit | Reason |
|---|---|---|
| Two or three friends play occasionally and stay together | Non-dedicated co-op | Fastest start with no separate server administration; accept the tether and host-online dependency. |
| Players want separate bases or distant expeditions | Dedicated server | Removes the non-dedicated host barrier. |
| The world must be available when the original host is away | Dedicated server | The server process runs independently of a player’s local session. |
| PC and console players need to share one world | Dedicated server configured for the exact edition and platform mix | Crossplay depends on edition, platform mode and server configuration. |
| Nobody has a spare machine or wants maintenance work | Rented dedicated server | Outsources uptime, networking, storage and much of the maintenance. |
Common problems and fixes
A friend is repeatedly pulled back
This is the expected non-dedicated tether, not necessarily a connection failure. Keep the group closer to the host, adjust the available tether-distance setting, or move the world to a dedicated server if independent travel is a regular requirement.
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That is normal for a host-run non-dedicated session. Leave the host logged in, or migrate to a dedicated server that can remain online without the original player.
Players cannot find or join the dedicated server
Check that everyone is on the same edition and current game version. Then verify the server is running, the firewall and network rules allow it, the server appears under the correct platform mode and any password is being entered exactly.
Cross-platform players have different results
Recheck the exact platform combination rather than assuming that one successful PC-to-PC connection proves console compatibility. Confirm the edition, server mode and any edition-specific Windows or certificate requirements.
The server becomes unstable as the world grows
Review memory and processor use, remove or update incompatible mods, reduce unnecessary server load, keep sufficient disk space and restore a known-good save if a recent change corrupted the world.
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Bottom line: start small, then move to dedicated when the group outgrows the tether
Non-dedicated co-op is the best low-effort answer for a small group that plays together at the same time. Its approximately 250 m host barrier and dependence on the host’s active session are fundamental trade-offs. A dedicated server is worth the extra setup when players need independent exploration, a persistent world, cross-platform configuration or stronger administrative control. Self-host it only if someone can maintain the machine; otherwise, rent a server after verifying the exact edition, platform support, region, mods, backups and cancellation terms.
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