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Playing with friends? Godlike.Host runs hosted ARK: Survival Evolved servers from 10 data-center locations, with free DDoS protection.
To host an ARK: Survival Evolved Genesis: Part 2 server, install the dedicated server on a 64-bit Windows or Linux machine, select the Gen2 map identifier, configure the server’s INI settings and launch parameters, then open the required ports on both the host firewall and your router. The default network ports are UDP 7777 for game traffic, UDP 7778 for the peer connection, and UDP 27015 for the Steam query service. Optional remote console administration uses TCP 27020.
You can run the server at home, on a virtual private server, or through managed ARK Genesis 2 server hosting. Home hosting offers maximum file and mod control but exposes your network and leaves every update, backup, and connectivity problem to you. A managed service reduces administration at a recurring cost. This guide covers the complete self-hosting workflow and the decisions that determine whether renting is the better fit.
What you need before installing
Genesis: Part 2 is a large map and an always-on service. Prepare the operating system, storage, network, and administration plan before downloading anything.
A 64-bit host
Use a 64-bit Windows or Linux installation. The dedicated server, map files, save data, logs, updates, and optional mods all need to coexist on writable storage. The ARK Official Community Wiki estimates the Genesis: Part 2 map at 10–12.5 GiB on its current setup page. Treat that as the map’s estimate, not the complete disk requirement: reserve additional space for the base server, temporary update files, backups, logs, and mod content.
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- ARK: Survival Ascended has completely recreated and redesigned the artwork and worlds of ARK to take advantage of the latest in videogame technology, Unreal Engine 5, using high-end graphics features such as fully dynamic Global Illumination (“Lumen”), so that light bounces realistically of off surfaces and provides realistic reflections, and advanced mesh streaming (“Nanite”) of hundreds of millions of triangles for extreme detail.
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A stable network path
Home hosting requires enough upstream bandwidth for the number of players and activity on the map. Residential connections can also use carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT), which prevents unsolicited inbound connections even when you create router rules. A changing residential public IP creates another access problem unless you provide players with an updated address or a suitable name service. A VPS or managed host normally supplies a stable public address, but you still need to check its bandwidth, location, and traffic policy.
Administrative access and storage discipline
- Keep the server directory writable. Updates, saves, logs, and optional automated mod downloads must be able to create and modify files.
- Have a separate location for backups rather than storing the only copy beside the live save.
- Record the administrator password and any RCON credentials in a secure password manager.
- Plan maintenance windows for updates and mod changes; ARK clients and servers must remain compatible for players to join.
Choose where to run the server
The software is the same in every deployment model, but the operational work is not. Compare the trade-offs before you install.
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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems| Deployment | Recurring cost | Control over files and mods | Connectivity and latency | Backups and updates | Support and exposure |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home machine | No separate hosting bill, but your electricity and existing internet service continue to apply. | Full control of the operating system, configuration, saves, and mods. | Depends on residential upload capacity, public-IP stability, router quality, and whether CGNAT blocks inbound traffic. | You schedule backups, patching, monitoring, and recovery yourself. | You troubleshoot every failure and expose selected ports on your home network. |
| VPS | Monthly infrastructure fee; no universal VPS price is established. | Usually extensive control, subject to the VPS provider’s operating-system and resource limits. | You can select a data-center region and normally receive a routable address; verify CPU, memory, storage I/O, bandwidth, and traffic limits. | You manage the server image, ARK updates, saves, and backups unless an add-on handles them. | Provider infrastructure support is distinct from ARK administration; no home-router port forwarding is required. |
| Managed game hosting | Recurring fee; current prices and features vary by provider and must be checked before purchase. | Panel-level control is convenient, but access to operating-system files and unusual mods may be limited. | Choose a location and player-slot plan that match your group; confirm Genesis: Part 2 support and network policy. | The provider may automate installation, updates, and backups, but verify retention and restoration terms. | Less routine administration and no home-network exposure, with possible provider lock-in and support boundaries. |
For a private group with a capable connection and a willingness to maintain Linux or Windows, home hosting is the most controllable option. A VPS suits administrators who want a public, stable machine without opening a residential router. Managed hosting is the simplest operational path, provided the current plan explicitly supports Genesis: Part 2, your required player slots, mods, backups, and cancellation terms.
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Install the ARK dedicated server with SteamCMD
SteamCMD is the installation method used in the dedicated-server documentation. The exact Steam application identifier and package contents can change, so obtain the current identifier and command syntax from the current ARK dedicated-server documentation rather than copying an outdated number from an old tutorial.
Windows workflow
- Install a 64-bit Windows release and apply operating-system updates.
- Download and extract SteamCMD into a dedicated tools directory. Do not place the live ARK server in a location where the service account cannot write.
- Create a separate server directory on a volume with more free space than the estimated 10–12.5 GiB Genesis 2 map size. Leave room for the base installation, saves, logs, updates, and mods.
- Open SteamCMD and use its anonymous-login installation flow with the current ARK dedicated-server application identifier. Set the installation directory to the server directory and allow the download and validation process to complete.
- Confirm that the installed directory contains the server executable, configuration locations, and writable folders for saves and logs before attempting to launch.
Linux workflow
- Install a supported 64-bit distribution and keep its packages current.
- Create a dedicated, non-root service account and a writable server directory. Give that account ownership of the SteamCMD and ARK files it must update.
- Install SteamCMD using the distribution’s supported method, then run the current ARK dedicated-server installation command with the correct application identifier and destination directory.
- Use a service manager or a supervised shell session so the server restarts after a reboot and its output is retained in logs.
- Verify disk permissions and available space. A server that can launch but cannot write its save or log directory will appear to work until the first save or update.
Do not mix files from different installations when troubleshooting. Keep one documented server directory, one backup location, and a record of the build date and update operation.
Select Genesis: Part 2 correctly
The Genesis: Part 2 map identifier is Gen2. Put Gen2 in the map field of a hosting panel or as the map argument in the dedicated-server launch command. Genesis: Part 1 has a different identifier; using the Part 1 value will start the wrong world or fail to load the intended map.
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Launch-parameter checklist
- Set the map argument to
Gen2. - Set a recognizable session name so players can find the server in the intended browser.
- Apply any documented gameplay, difficulty, PvE/PvP, or harvesting settings through the supported launch parameters and INI files.
- Keep a copy of the exact launch command or panel export. It is the quickest way to reproduce the server after a rebuild.
After the first launch, check the log for a successful map load and confirm that the expected save directory is created. A map-name error should be fixed before you investigate networking.
Configure server rules and administration
ARK separates general server behavior into documented configuration files and launch parameters. Edit the files while the server is stopped, keep a dated backup before changes, and restart to apply settings that are not hot-reloadable.
Mods
ActiveMods is a comma-separated list of mod IDs. Add only IDs that are available to every intended client and install or update them in a controlled order. A mod update can change saved data or make an older client unable to join. When testing a new mod, back up the save first, change one item at a time, and retain the previous configuration so you can roll back.
RCON administration
Remote console access requires an RCONPort and a ServerAdminPassword. The default RCON port described for this setup is TCP 27020. If you do not need remote administration, leave RCON disabled and do not expose that port. If you enable it, use a strong unique password, restrict access with firewall rules where possible, and treat the credential like an administrator login.
Genesis 2 world effects
Genesis: Part 2 includes world effects whose behavior can be adjusted with bEnableWorldBuffScaling. Confirm the behavior on the current server build before publishing a preset to players; configuration names and effects should be tested after updates rather than assumed from an older guide.
Forward the network ports
The ARK Official Community Wiki explains that the server listens on local ports and that both the operating-system firewall and router must allow and direct incoming traffic to the dedicated-server host. Configure both layers; opening only one is not sufficient.
| Purpose | Protocol | Port | Required action |
|---|---|---|---|
| Game traffic | UDP | 7777 | Allow on the host firewall and forward from the router to the server’s private IP. |
| Peer connection | UDP | 7778 | Allow and forward to the same host. |
| Steam query | UDP | 27015 | Allow and forward so the server can appear in queries and browser results. |
| Remote console (optional) | TCP | 27020 | Configure RCONPort, set ServerAdminPassword, and expose only when RCON is needed. |
Router procedure for a home server
- Assign the server a stable private address through a DHCP reservation or a static network configuration. A forwarding rule aimed at a changing address will break after a lease change.
- Create separate port-forward rules for UDP 7777, UDP 7778, and UDP 27015, all targeting that private address. Add TCP 27020 only if you have enabled RCON.
- Save the router configuration and check whether the router has a public IPv4 address. If its WAN address is private or falls under CGNAT, ordinary inbound forwarding will not work without an upstream solution.
- On Windows, create inbound firewall rules for the same protocols and ports, or allow the dedicated-server executable through the appropriate profile. On Linux, add equivalent rules to the active firewall and confirm that the service account can bind the ports.
- Do not forward unrelated administrative services. The ARK ports should reach only the ARK host.
VPS and managed hosts normally remove the home-router step, but you still need to allow the ports in the VPS firewall or hosting panel and verify any provider-level security group.
Start the server and validate it in layers
- Start locally. Launch the dedicated server with
Gen2and the intended settings. Wait for the log to show that the map loaded and the save location was initialized. - Check the ports. Confirm that the process is listening on UDP 7777, UDP 7778, and UDP 27015. If RCON is enabled, verify TCP 27020 separately.
- Join from the host or local network. This isolates map, executable, and basic configuration problems from router and internet problems.
- Join from outside the network. Use a client on a different connection and search for the session or connect using the server’s public address as supported by your client. Testing from inside the same LAN can give misleading results when the router lacks NAT loopback.
- Confirm persistence. Stop the server cleanly, restart it, and check that the character and world state were saved. Verify that a backup can be restored to a separate test directory.
Troubleshoot the common failure modes
The server does not appear in the browser
- Confirm that UDP 27015 is forwarded and allowed; the query port is separate from the game port.
- Check UDP 7777 and UDP 7778 as well, because a visible listing does not guarantee that a player can complete a connection.
- Verify that the router forwards to the current private IP and that the host firewall rule applies to the active network profile.
- Check for CGNAT, a double-NAT arrangement, or a changing public IP. Ask the internet provider for a routable address or move the server to a VPS or managed host if inbound access cannot be supplied.
- Make sure the server build and client build are compatible and that the process did not stop after a map or mod error.
Players see the server but cannot join
- Read the server log for map-load, mod-download, or port-binding errors.
- Confirm that every client has compatible mod versions and that the
ActiveModslist contains valid comma-separated IDs. - Check UDP 7777 and 7778 end to end, not just the query port.
- Temporarily remove the newest mod from a backed-up test configuration to determine whether the change caused the failure.
The server resets or loses progress
- Check disk capacity, file ownership, and write permissions for saves and logs.
- Look for an unclean shutdown, operating-system restart, or update that interrupted a save.
- Restore the most recent known-good save to a separate directory before replacing the live copy.
- Keep rollback copies before every server, map, or mod update.
RCON does not connect
- Confirm that
RCONPortandServerAdminPasswordare set in the active configuration, not an unused file. - Use TCP 27020, not one of the UDP gameplay ports, and allow it in the firewall only when required.
- Check that the RCON client is aimed at the public address and that the router forwards TCP to the correct host.
Operate the server after launch
Backups and rollback
Schedule backups of saves and configuration files, keep copies outside the live server directory, and test restoration. Before an update, stop the server cleanly, copy the save and configuration, record the current build and mod list, then update. If players cannot join afterward, revert the files and restore the known-good version instead of repeatedly changing several variables.
Monitoring
Watch CPU, memory, disk space, disk activity, and network bandwidth. A full disk can prevent saves; a saturated upload connection produces latency; and a process that exits silently needs service supervision and log retention. Record maintenance times and configuration changes so players know when a problem began.
Mod maintenance
Mods add a second update and compatibility schedule. Announce planned changes, update methodically, and remove or roll back a mod when clients begin failing to join. Keep the old ActiveMods value and a save backup until the new combination has survived a restart and a real connection test.
Home hosting versus renting: a practical decision
Run at home when you need complete control, already have a dependable 64-bit machine and upstream connection, and are comfortable administering firewalls, backups, updates, and recovery. Choose a VPS when you want a stable public location and operating-system control without exposing a residential router, but are prepared to perform the same ARK administration yourself. Choose managed ARK Genesis 2 server hosting when reducing maintenance is worth a recurring fee and you have verified the provider’s current Genesis 2 support, player-slot limits, location choices, backup policy, mod support, cancellation terms, and pricing.
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