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For a standard ARK: Survival Ascended dedicated server, forward UDP 7777 from your router to the server computer and allow the same port through the computer’s inbound firewall. Open TCP 27020 only when you have enabled RCON remote administration. Do not automatically add UDP 7778 or UDP 27015 because those numbers come from many ARK: Survival Evolved guides and are not universal requirements for ASA.
ASA port requirements at a glance
The port a player uses is determined by the server’s configured game port. ASA’s normal default is 7777. If you changed that value in your launch arguments or server manager, substitute your configured port in both the router and operating-system firewall.
| Function | Default port | Protocol | When to open it |
|---|---|---|---|
| ASA game traffic | 7777 | UDP | Always, unless you configured another game port |
| RCON remote console | 27020 | TCP | Only when RCON is enabled |
| Legacy ASE peer or query rules | 7778 or 27015 | UDP | Only when your specific ASA setup documents a need |
Port forwarding has two separate parts: the router must send unsolicited internet traffic to the server computer, and the computer’s firewall must permit that traffic. Completing only one of those steps leaves the server unreachable from outside your network.
Before creating a forwarding rule
Give the server a stable private IP address
Routers forward traffic to an internal address such as 192.168.x.x or 10.x.x.x. If that address changes after a reboot, the rule can silently point to another device. Create a DHCP reservation in the router for the server computer, or configure a static address using your network’s documented settings. Record the reserved address; you will use it for every mapping.
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Confirm the actual ASA game port
Check the launch arguments, configuration file, or server manager before assuming 7777. A custom value replaces 7777 everywhere: the external router port, internal destination port, firewall rule, and any direct-connect information you give players. Do not change a router rule to 7778 merely because an older guide calls it a peer port.
Decide whether RCON is enabled
RCON is a separate administration channel. If it is disabled, there is no reason to expose TCP 27020. If it is enabled, use a distinct TCP forwarding rule and a matching firewall rule. Players do not need the RCON port to join the game.
Forward UDP 7777 on the router
- Sign in to the router’s administration interface and open its NAT, Port Forwarding, or similarly named page.
- Create a rule with a descriptive name such as
ASA game. - Set the protocol to UDP. Do not select TCP-only; game traffic uses UDP.
- Set the external (public) port to 7777, unless your ASA configuration uses another game port.
- Set the internal or destination port to the same configured game port.
- Enter the server computer’s reserved private IP address as the destination.
- Save or apply the rule, then restart the server if your router requires it.
Use the same number on the outside and inside for a normal installation. A router can translate different numbers, but matching values make troubleshooting and player instructions clearer.
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ASA’s dedicated server does not provide UPnP or another automatic port-forwarding protocol, so manual forwarding may be required. The official setup documentation specifically warns that “manual port forwarding may be needed since ShooterGameServer does not support UPnP or other automatic port forwarding protocols.”
Allow the port through the host firewall
Windows inbound rule
- Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
- Select Inbound Rules, then choose New Rule.
- Choose Port, select UDP, and enter the configured ASA game port, normally 7777.
- Choose Allow the connection, apply it to the network profiles appropriate for the server, and give the rule a recognizable name such as
ASA UDP 7777. - Save the rule and ensure it is enabled.
You can instead create a rule for the server executable when that is how your organization manages application firewalls. A port rule is easier to audit when several server processes run on one machine.
Add RCON only when needed
If RCON is enabled, repeat the process with TCP and port 27020. The router’s TCP 27020 rule and Windows’ inbound TCP 27020 rule must target the same server machine. Opening TCP 27020 without enabling RCON does not make the game server discoverable and only creates an unnecessary exposed service.
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Do ASA servers need UDP 7778 or UDP 27015?
Not by default. Many ASE instructions describe a peer port one number above the game port (often 7778) and a Steam query port of 27015. ASA’s configuration references distinguish the ASA game-port setting from ASE’s legacy query-port material. A current ASA setup guide likewise cautions administrators not to carry those assumptions into ASA without checking the specific build and launch configuration.
Treat 7778 and 27015 as configuration-dependent, not universal ASA requirements:
- Do not add UDP 7778 simply because 7777 is your game port.
- Do not add UDP 27015 to make a server appear in the list unless your exact ASA manager or documentation requires it.
- If you deliberately configure a second ASA process to use game port 7778, then forward that configured port to the correct process; in that situation it is a custom game port, not an automatic ASE peer-port rule.
When an instruction conflicts with your server manager, launch arguments, or current ASA documentation, follow the configuration actually used by your installation.
Running more than one ASA server
Every server process needs its own game port. Every process that exposes RCON also needs its own RCON port. Forward each port to the machine hosting the corresponding process, and make sure no two processes claim the same local port.
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|---|---|---|
| First server | 7777/UDP | 27020/TCP |
| Second server | 7778/UDP | 27021/TCP |
| Third server | 7779/UDP | 27022/TCP |
These are example incremental mappings used in current setup guidance. They are not a requirement to use those exact numbers. The important rule is uniqueness: each external port must map to the matching internal port and the intended process. If all instances run on one computer, the firewall must allow every configured game and RCON port. If they run on separate computers, each mapping must point to the right private address.
Start the server and verify reachability
- Start the ASA dedicated server and wait until it has finished loading the map.
- Confirm that the process is listening on the configured local game port and, if applicable, the RCON port.
- From outside the home network, check whether the server appears in the ASA server list or test a direct connection using the public address and configured game port.
- Ask a player on another internet connection to join. A test from the same LAN can succeed even when the router does not support hairpin connections, so it is not conclusive for public access.
For UDP 7777, use a port-checking service that explicitly supports UDP. A TCP-only checker cannot validate the ASA game port and may report failure even when the UDP forwarding rule is correct. Check the public address shown by the router or another trusted network-status page after the server is running, then ensure players are using that current address.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting when friends cannot see the server
The server works locally but not from the internet
- Verify that the router rule targets the server’s current private IP, not an old address assigned before the DHCP reservation.
- Check that the rule is UDP for the game port. A TCP rule does not carry ASA game traffic.
- Confirm that the Windows inbound rule uses the same port number as the router’s internal destination.
- Recheck the launch arguments or manager for a custom game port and update both layers if it differs from 7777.
- Confirm that the server was running when you tested. A closed process cannot answer a UDP probe.
Players can connect directly but the server is absent from the list
List discovery and player connectivity are not identical tests. First preserve the working game-port mapping and direct-connect information. Do not open ASE-era 27015 or 7778 automatically just to change list behavior; consult the documentation for the exact ASA build or manager you use before adding configuration-dependent ports.
RCON does not connect
- Confirm that RCON is enabled in the server configuration.
- Use TCP, not UDP, for port 27020 (or the custom RCON port assigned to that instance).
- Check that the router and host firewall both forward and allow the same RCON port.
- For multiple servers, make sure the client is using the RCON port belonging to the intended process, such as 27021 for a second instance in the example mapping.
A port checker reports failure
Identify the protocol before changing anything. UDP checkers cannot be substituted with TCP checkers, and a UDP service may not respond in the same way as a continuously listening TCP service. Test with the server running, verify the public address, and compare every number in the router, firewall, and ASA configuration.
Bandwidth and host-network requirements
The official setup guidance recommends an internet connection of at least 100 Mb for hosting and notes that bandwidth increases with the number of connected players. It gives an estimate of up to 60 KiB/s per connected player for a VPS, tied to tick rate and world-save complexity. That figure is documentation guidance rather than an independent benchmark, and it is not a promise of identical usage for every map, mod set, tick rate, or player count.
Use a wired Ethernet connection between the server and router when practical. It avoids the variability of a wireless hop and makes the router-to-host path easier to diagnose, although the ASA documentation does not prescribe a particular cable category or length. A Cat6 cable is a reasonable search term if you need to replace that link; it is an accessory choice, not an ASA port requirement.
When managed hosting changes the port work
With self-hosting, you are responsible for the public address, router NAT rules, operating-system firewall, server process, and uptime. A managed ARK host generally supplies a reachable address and handles the provider-side forwarding and firewalling, so you usually configure the assigned game and RCON ports in its control panel rather than opening ports on a home router. Verify the provider’s current instructions because port assignments and administration interfaces vary. The ASA defaults still explain which traffic each setting represents: UDP for gameplay and TCP for RCON.
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Final checklist
- Reserve a stable private IP for the server computer.
- Confirm the configured ASA game port; use UDP 7777 when it remains at the default.
- Forward that UDP port from the router to the same internal port and private IP.
- Allow the identical UDP port through the host firewall.
- Open TCP 27020 only if RCON is enabled, with matching router and firewall rules.
- Assign unique game and RCON ports to every additional instance.
- Do not assume ASE’s UDP 7778 or 27015 rules apply to ASA.
- Test from an external network with the server running, using a UDP-capable checker for the game port.
The practical answer is therefore simple: start with UDP 7777, add TCP 27020 only for RCON, and treat every other port as a deliberate, documented customization rather than a default.
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