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For a default dedicated ARK: Survival Evolved server, forward UDP 7777 (game), UDP 7778 (peer), and UDP 27015 (Steam server-browser query) from your internet-facing router to the computer running ShooterGameServer. Open the same UDP ports in that computer’s firewall. Add TCP 27020 only when you enable RCON. The peer port is always the game port plus one.
This guide covers dedicated-server networking as documented by the ARK Official Community Wiki (page accessed October 15, 2026), including router NAT rules, Windows and Linux firewall examples, multiple instances, and the common reasons a server remains visible only on the LAN.
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Use this set for one ordinary dedicated server unless you deliberately choose different values in the launch configuration:
| Port | Protocol | Purpose |
|---|---|---|
| 7777 | UDP | Game traffic for player connections |
| 7778 | UDP | Peer port; always the game port plus one |
| 27015 | UDP | Steam server-browser query traffic |
| 27020 | TCP | Optional RCON remote console |
Do not change a rule’s protocol to “both” as a shortcut. The game, peer, and query services use UDP. RCON uses TCP and is unnecessary if you will not administer the server remotely through RCON.
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What the ports do
Game port (UDP 7777)
The game port carries the live session traffic. Players who can see a listing but cannot complete a connection usually have a problem with this forwarding rule, the host firewall, or a mismatched Port value.
Peer port (UDP 7778)
The peer port is not an arbitrary second port. It is calculated as the game port plus one. With the default game port of 7777, the peer port is 7778. If you select another game port, forward the next UDP port as well.
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Steam uses the query port to discover and display server information. A server can be running correctly while absent from public lists when this port is blocked or when the configured QueryPort does not match the router rule.
RCON (TCP 27020)
RCON is an optional remote-console service. Forward TCP 27020 and permit it through the host firewall only when RCON is enabled and you need it. Keeping the rule absent when RCON is disabled reduces the number of exposed services.
How an internet connection reaches the server
A player connects to your public address. Your internet-facing router performs network-address translation (NAT) and sends the selected destination port to a private LAN address such as 192.168.1.50. The operating-system firewall on that computer then decides whether to accept the packet. All three layers must agree:
- The router must forward the correct external port and protocol.
- The forwarding target must be the current LAN address of the server computer.
- The host firewall must allow the same inbound port and protocol.
- The server process must be listening with matching
PortandQueryPortsettings.
ShooterGameServer does not support UPnP or other automatic port-forwarding protocols. The ARK Official Community Wiki therefore notes: “Please note manual port forwarding may be needed since ShooterGameServer does not support UPnP or other automatic port forwarding protocols.”
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Prepare the server computer and network
Reserve a stable LAN address
Port-forwarding rules point to an internal address, not to a computer name. If DHCP later gives the server a different address, the rule continues pointing at the old machine and the server appears offline. Create a DHCP reservation in the router for the server computer’s network adapter, or configure a static address using a method appropriate for your network. Record the resulting address before creating the rules.
Identify the internet-facing router
Log in to the router that actually receives the public internet connection and provides NAT. In a double-NAT arrangement, an upstream modem/router may also need a forwarding rule, or it must be placed in bridge mode according to the equipment and ISP’s instructions. If your ISP uses carrier-grade NAT, you may not receive a directly reachable public IPv4 address; router rules alone cannot overcome that restriction. Ask the ISP for a public address or use a hosting arrangement that permits inbound traffic.
Collect the values you will use
For the default instance, note the reserved LAN address, UDP 7777, UDP 7778, UDP 27015, and (only for RCON) TCP 27020. Decide on a different, non-conflicting set before installation if another application already occupies one of these ports.
Forward the ports on the router
- Open the router’s administration page and locate Port Forwarding, NAT, or a similarly named inbound-rule screen. Menu names differ by manufacturer and firmware.
- Create a rule for UDP 7777. Set the external/start and internal/end port to 7777 unless the interface uses a single-port field. Set the destination to the server computer’s reserved LAN address.
- Create a second rule for UDP 7778 to the same LAN address.
- Create a third rule for UDP 27015 to that address.
- If RCON is enabled, create a separate TCP 27020 rule. Do not select UDP for this rule.
- Save or apply the configuration. Some routers reload their firewall before the change becomes active; wait for that process to finish.
Unless your router explicitly requires a different arrangement, keep the external and internal port numbers identical. Forwarding to a range wider than the ports you use exposes unnecessary services and makes troubleshooting harder.
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Start the dedicated server with Port=7777 and QueryPort=27015, or with the corresponding values you selected. The query value must be the same UDP port that you forwarded. The peer port follows automatically as the game port plus one, so a game port of 7777 requires UDP 7778.
After changing a port, stop and restart the ShooterGameServer process. A running process may continue listening on its original socket until restarted. Check the server’s startup output or logs for bind errors: an “address already in use” message means another process or another ARK instance already owns that port.
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Allow the same traffic through the host firewall
Router forwarding only gets packets to the server computer. The local firewall must allow inbound traffic as well. Create rules that mirror the protocol and port exactly.
Windows Firewall
- Open Windows Defender Firewall with Advanced Security.
- Choose Inbound Rules, then New Rule….
- Select Port, choose UDP, and specify
7777-7778. Allow the connection for the network profiles that apply to your server, then name the rule clearly. - Create another UDP rule for
27015. - If RCON is enabled, create a separate TCP rule for
27020.
The official wiki’s Windows example groups UDP 7777–7778 and UDP 27015, with a separate TCP rule for 27020. If your organization manages Windows Firewall centrally, apply equivalent inbound rules through that policy instead of creating local exceptions.
Linux with UFW
On a host using UFW, equivalent rules are:
sudo ufw allow 7777:7778/udp
sudo ufw allow 27015/udp
sudo ufw allow 27020/tcpRun the RCON line only when RCON is enabled. Confirm the resulting policy with sudo ufw status.
Linux with firewalld
For firewalld, add the ports permanently and reload the service:
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=7777-7778/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=27015/udp
sudo firewall-cmd --permanent --add-port=27020/tcp
sudo firewall-cmd --reloadRemove or omit the TCP rule when no RCON listener exists.
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On systems managed directly with iptables, allow the required destination ports and then save the rules using the distribution’s normal persistence mechanism:
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sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 7777:7778 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p udp --dport 27015 -j ACCEPT
sudo iptables -A INPUT -p tcp --dport 27020 -j ACCEPTThese examples assume an existing firewall policy in which explicit accepts are needed. A distribution, hosting panel, or cloud security group may apply an additional filtering layer; open the same ports there as well.
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Every instance needs its own game, peer, query, and (when used) RCON port. Do not reuse a port between maps or server processes. The documented sequence is:
| 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 each row, set that instance’s Port and QueryPort, forward the listed UDP ports to the same LAN address, and create the matching host-firewall rules. The peer value remains one greater than that instance’s game value. If an instance does not use RCON, leave its TCP port closed.
Keep a written port map beside your launch scripts. It prevents a common failure in which a second process starts with a changed Port but still queries on the first instance’s port, producing collisions or misleading browser results.
Verify that the server is reachable
- Start ShooterGameServer and wait until it reports that the map and game session are ready.
- From a device on the same LAN, confirm that the server process is running and that local clients can connect. This separates game configuration problems from internet routing problems.
- From outside the LAN, search ARK’s unofficial-server list. A listing there indicates that query traffic is reaching the service, although it does not by itself prove every player can complete a game connection.
- Use Steam’s server browser to search by address. Steam favorites can use
IP:QUERYPORT. When the query port is above 27019, specify that port explicitly rather than relying on a default. - If the wiki’s Steam master-server address check reports no response, recheck the query rule, the server’s
QueryPort, and every firewall layer.
Test from a genuinely external connection, such as a phone hotspot, because many routers do not support NAT loopback. A successful connection from inside the LAN does not prove that the public forwarding path works.
Troubleshooting by symptom
The server is LAN-only
- Verify that the router rule targets the server’s current reserved LAN address, not an old DHCP address.
- Confirm that UDP 7777, UDP 7778, and UDP 27015 are selected; TCP-only rules will not carry the game or query traffic.
- Mirror the rules in Windows Firewall, UFW, firewalld, iptables, or the applicable security group.
- Check that the launch values still read
Port=7777andQueryPort=27015, or match your alternate instance values. - Look for double NAT or carrier-grade NAT. If the router’s WAN address is private or differs from the public address shown by an external service, an upstream device or ISP restriction may be blocking inbound connections.
The server runs but does not appear in lists
- Focus first on UDP 27015 (or the instance’s chosen query port).
- Confirm that the query port is unique when multiple instances are running.
- Use the Steam browser with the exact public IP and query port. If that works while the unofficial list is delayed, the server process and forwarding path are likely functioning.
- Check startup logs for a bind failure or a query service that did not start.
Players see the listing but cannot join
- Recheck UDP 7777 and UDP 7778; query visibility alone does not replace the game and peer ports.
- Ensure no second process has taken one of those ports.
- Verify that the public address players use belongs to the router with the forwarding rules, especially after an ISP address change.
RCON cannot connect
- Confirm RCON is enabled in the server configuration.
- Forward TCP 27020 (or the selected per-instance RCON port), not UDP.
- Allow the same TCP port in the host firewall and any VPS provider firewall.
- Check that the RCON client is using the correct public address and port.
A second instance will not start
- Compare its game, peer, query, and RCON values with every other process.
- Assign the next unused set, such as 7779/7780/27016/27021, and update the router and firewall together.
- Restart only after all configuration files and rules agree.
Hosting on a VPS or dedicated provider
A VPS may not have a home router, but it still has filtering layers. Open the ARK UDP game, peer, and query ports in the provider’s network firewall or security group, then allow them in the operating-system firewall. Add the RCON TCP port only when needed. Follow the provider’s networking and firewall instructions in addition to the ShooterGameServer configuration; a permissive local firewall cannot override a blocked provider-level rule.
Provider layouts, public-address assignments, and control-panel labels vary, so the exact screen and command differ. The invariant is the same: the public destination ports, the server launch values, and every firewall layer must match.
Quick Recap
Port-forwarding checklist
- Server computer has a DHCP reservation or other stable LAN address.
- Router rules point to that address.
- UDP game and peer ports are open; the peer is game plus one.
- UDP query port is open and equals
QueryPort. - TCP RCON is open only if RCON is enabled.
- Host firewall mirrors the router rules.
- Each ARK instance has unique values.
- External testing uses the public address and, when necessary, the explicit query port.
- Double-NAT, carrier-grade NAT, and VPS security-group restrictions have been checked.
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