How to Set Up an ARK Server for the Aberration Expansion (ASE and ASA Map Names)

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To run an Aberration dedicated server, first identify your ARK edition, install the matching dedicated-server files with SteamCMD, launch the correct map identifier, and expose the same game and query ports through both the host firewall and router. For ARK: Survival Evolved (ASE), the map argument is Aberration_P. For ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA), it is Aberration_WP; using the wrong identifier is a common reason for a failed start or an apparently missing map.

Choose the edition and map name before installing anything

The installation and launch process depends on whether you are running ARK: Survival Evolved or ARK: Survival Ascended. This guide focuses on the ASE dedicated server because its SteamCMD installation uses application ID 376030. Do not copy an ASA launch argument into an ASE server or assume that an ASE command will start an ASA server.

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If you are unsure which edition your players own, settle that question first. ASE and ASA clients do not join the same server installation, and a server advertised under the wrong edition can appear to be offline even when its process is running.

Prepare the host

Choose Windows or Linux

A dedicated server can run on a Windows PC or a Linux machine. Use a host that can remain powered on for the sessions you want to run and that has a stable wired or otherwise reliable network connection. A local-only server can work on a home LAN without public router forwarding; internet players require a host reachable from outside your network.

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Plan storage and permissions

Create a dedicated directory rather than installing into a personal desktop or download folder. The examples below use C:arkserver on Windows and /home/steam/servers/ark on Linux. The account running the server needs permission to create and modify files in that directory, and the SteamCMD account needs permission to write the downloaded files.

Leave memory headroom

The Aberration ASE setup reference estimates roughly 3–4 GiB as a baseline memory requirement. That is an estimate, not a guaranteed minimum or a maximum. Actual use changes with connected players, the age and size of the save, structures and creatures, server configuration, and installed mods. Treat 3–4 GiB as a floor and leave additional memory for the operating system and growth during a busy session.

• For a small test or LAN server, monitor memory during a normal play session rather than relying on an idle reading.
• For a public or heavily modded server, reserve substantially more than the baseline so the operating system does not start swapping.
• Keep enough free disk space for the initial download, save files, backups, logs, and updates.

Decide whether the server is private or public

A private LAN server only needs local network access. A server for remote players additionally needs a stable private IP address on the host, operating-system firewall rules, router forwarding, and enough upstream bandwidth for the expected number of players. Reserve the host’s private IP in the router or configure a static address so forwarding does not silently point to another device after a reboot.

Install the ASE dedicated-server files with SteamCMD

1. Install SteamCMD

Install SteamCMD on the machine that will run the server. Keep the SteamCMD program in its own directory and use a separate directory for the ARK server files. On Linux, run SteamCMD as the service account that will own the server files, or correct ownership after installation. On Windows, use an account that can write to the chosen installation path.

2. Create the server directory

For example, create C:arkserver on Windows or /home/steam/servers/ark on Linux. The path can be different; every later command and service definition must use the same path consistently.

3. Run the documented SteamCMD sequence

At a SteamCMD prompt, run:

force_install_dir <install_dir>
login anonymous
app_update 376030 validate
exit

Replace <install_dir> with the full path you selected. The equivalent one-line invocation is:

steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit

The validate argument checks the downloaded files and can repair missing or damaged files. Repeat the update command whenever a new server version is released. If SteamCMD reports an error, first confirm that the installation directory exists and that the account running SteamCMD can write there. A partially completed download should be corrected before you troubleshoot launch or networking.

4. Confirm the executable location

After installation, locate the ShooterGameServer executable beneath the server directory. On Windows it is an executable file; on Linux it is the corresponding binary. The launch script must use the executable from this installation, not a copy left by an earlier installation or a different ARK edition.

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Create an Aberration launch script

The map name is the first argument after the server executable. For ASE, use Aberration_P. The remaining options are appended using the syntax supported by the ASE server build. The exact executable path and shell syntax differ between Windows and Linux, so keep the examples aligned with the operating system.

Windows batch file

Create a file such as start-aberration.bat in the server installation directory. A minimal pattern is:

cd /d C:arkserverShooterGameBinariesWin64
ShooterGameServer.exe Aberration_P?SessionName=MyAberrationServer?Port=<game-port>?QueryPort=<query-port>?ServerPassword=<player-password>?ServerAdminPassword=<admin-password>

Replace each angle-bracketed value with the port or password you have chosen. Keep the question-mark separators and do not include the angle brackets in the final command. If a password contains characters that your shell treats specially, use a password that is safe for the command syntax or apply the escaping required by Windows.

Run the batch file from a command window while testing so that startup errors remain visible. You can add logging options supported by your ASE build, but do not add flags copied from ASA documentation.

Linux shell script

Create a file such as start-aberration.sh, make it executable, and point it at the Linux binary:

#!/bin/sh
cd /home/steam/servers/ark/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux
exec ./ShooterGameServer Aberration_P?SessionName=MyAberrationServer?Port=<game-port>?QueryPort=<query-port>?ServerPassword=<player-password>?ServerAdminPassword=<admin-password>

Use the service account’s actual path and permissions. A typical permission command is:

chmod +x /home/steam/servers/ark/start-aberration.sh

Start the script manually before automating it. The process should remain running and produce log output while the map loads. If it exits immediately, check the executable path, file permissions, map identifier, and whether the command contains unsupported or malformed options.

Use a deliberate session name and credentials

SessionName is the name players search for in the server browser. Choose a name that identifies the edition and map without exposing private information. ServerPassword controls player access, while ServerAdminPassword is for administrative commands. Keep the administrator password distinct from the player password and do not publish it in a launcher script that is readable by untrusted users.

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Start the server once and verify the generated files

The first successful run creates the ShooterGame/Saved directory beneath the installation. This directory contains the save data and configuration files that you will maintain over time. Let the server finish its initial startup before stopping it so the directory is written cleanly.

Check the console output

• Confirm that the process remains active instead of terminating after a few seconds.
• Look for the session name and the selected Aberration map in the startup output.
• Check for file, permission, or missing-library errors before investigating the router.

Stop cleanly before editing

Stop the server process before changing configuration files. Editing a file while the server is running can be overwritten when the process exits, and an interrupted save can leave you without a known-good rollback point. After an edit, restart in a controlled way and verify that the process reaches a stable running state.

Back up the first working save

Once the server has started and created its files, stop it and make a complete backup of ShooterGame/Saved. Label the backup with the date and the server version. Keep at least one copy outside the live server directory so an update, failed mod change, or disk problem cannot overwrite both copies.

Open the game and query ports

The server uses the game port and query port configured in the launch command. The numbers themselves are your choice within the constraints of your network and any other services on the host; what matters is consistency. The same values must appear in the launch parameters, the operating-system firewall rules, and the router’s forwarding rules.

Allow the ports through the host firewall

Create inbound firewall rules for the configured game and query ports and associate them with the server executable or the appropriate protocol rules for your operating system. If you change a port in the launch script, update the firewall rule at the same time. A rule for an old port does not help a process listening on a new one.

Forward the ports on the router

For internet access, create router port-forwarding entries that send the configured ports to the server host’s private IP address. Reserve that address so a DHCP change does not redirect the rules to another device. Check the router’s protocol selection and apply the settings; a forwarding entry that points to the wrong private address makes the server invisible even though the process is healthy.

Test from the right network

A test from the same LAN can succeed even when public forwarding is broken. Test local connectivity from a LAN client, then test internet visibility from a different network. Ask a remote player to search for the exact session name or connect using the method supported by your client. If the server is not visible externally, check the process, firewall, forwarding, and private-IP reservation in that order.

Check upstream capacity

Connected players increase upstream traffic. A server can load correctly and still produce timeouts or rubber-banding if the host’s upload connection cannot keep up. Measure or observe the connection under the number of players you expect, and reduce the advertised group size or move the server if the link is saturated.

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Automate startup on Linux with systemd

A systemd service can update the server before launch and start it automatically after a reboot. The documented pattern uses ExecStartPre for SteamCMD, ExecStart for the launch command, and WorkingDirectory for the directory containing the server binary. Adapt the paths and service user to your distribution.

Create the unit file

Create a unit such as /etc/systemd/system/ark-aberration.service with a structure like this:

[Unit]
Description=ARK Aberration dedicated server
After=network-online.target
Wants=network-online.target

[Service]
User=steam
WorkingDirectory=/home/steam/servers/ark/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux
ExecStartPre=/usr/games/steamcmd +force_install_dir /home/steam/servers/ark +login anonymous +app_update 376030 +quit
ExecStart=/home/steam/servers/ark/ShooterGame/Binaries/Linux/ShooterGameServer Aberration_P?SessionName=MyAberrationServer?Port=<game-port>?QueryPort=<query-port>?ServerPassword=<player-password>?ServerAdminPassword=<admin-password>
Restart=on-failure

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target

The SteamCMD path may be different on your distribution. Use the actual path returned by your installation, and ensure the steam account owns the server directory. If your server needs a wrapper script for environment variables or logging, put that logic in the script and reference the script from ExecStart.

Load and enable the service

1. Reload unit definitions with sudo systemctl daemon-reload.
2. Enable startup at boot with sudo systemctl enable ark-aberration.
3. Start it with sudo systemctl start ark-aberration.
4. Check status with sudo systemctl status ark-aberration and inspect logs with journalctl -u ark-aberration.

Test a manual stop and start before relying on a reboot. An automatic service is useful only if it starts the intended map, uses the intended ports, and leaves enough information in the journal to diagnose a failed update or launch.

Maintain saves, updates, and mods safely

Back up before changes

Stop the process, copy ShooterGame/Saved, and verify that the backup can be read before applying a major update or configuration experiment. Retain a known-good backup when installing or removing mods. A backup made while files are actively changing may not be a consistent restore point.

Update the server files

Run the SteamCMD update command again when a new server version is released:

steamcmd +force_install_dir <install_dir> +login anonymous +app_update 376030 validate +quit

Schedule updates for a maintenance window, stop the server first, and record the previous version and backup location. After updating, start the server and watch the console for errors before inviting players back.

Account for mod compatibility

Mods can change startup time, memory use, save behavior, and compatibility with a new server build. Keep an inventory of installed mods and their load order, and do not assume that a server update leaves every mod working. If a new build fails, use the known-good save and documented rollback plan rather than repeatedly editing the live files.

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Keep configuration changes reproducible

Save a copy of each working configuration and record what changed, when it changed, and which server version was running. Make one class of change at a time, restart, and test. This turns a vague startup failure into a specific change that can be reverted.

Troubleshoot the problems players report most often

The server does not load Aberration

1. Confirm that this is an ASE installation if the command uses Aberration_P.
2. For ASA, use the ASA package and Aberration_WP instead.
3. Check that the map argument is immediately associated with the server executable and is not misspelled.
4. Remove options copied from an ASA guide and retry with a minimal ASE command containing the map, session name, game port, and query port.

The server process runs but is not visible from the internet

• Verify that the running command uses the ports you think it does.
• Confirm inbound firewall rules for both configured ports.
• Confirm router forwarding to the server’s current private IP address.
• Check that the host is not behind an additional router or carrier-grade NAT that prevents inbound connections.
• Test from a genuinely external network rather than relying only on a same-LAN search.

Players see timeouts or disconnects

First compare the forwarded ports with the launch parameters character for character. Then check upstream capacity under load. A server that is reachable but intermittently times out can be suffering from an overloaded uplink, a changing private IP, or a firewall rule that permits one required port but not the other.

SteamCMD updates fail or the server starts with old files

Stop the server and rerun the documented SteamCMD command with validate. Confirm that force_install_dir points to the directory used by the launch script. If SteamCMD updates one directory while the script starts another, the process will continue using stale files. Preserve the save backup before attempting repairs.

A reboot leaves the server offline

On Linux, inspect the systemd unit status and journal, then verify the service user, working directory, SteamCMD path, and executable permissions. On Windows, use a Windows service or Task Scheduler equivalent that runs under an account with access to the server directory and starts the same batch file you tested manually.

The server runs out of memory

Compare observed usage with the 3–4 GiB Aberration ASE baseline, remembering that the estimate excludes growth from players, saves, structures, creatures, configuration, and mods. Reduce unnecessary load, remove incompatible mods, or move the server to a host with more memory. Do not treat the baseline as a promise that a large public server will fit in that amount.

Self-hosting versus managed hosting

Self-hosting gives you direct control over the operating system, launch parameters, INI files, mods, backups, and update timing, but you must perform the administration. A managed service can remove much of the SteamCMD, firewall, backup, and system-service work; the important qualification is whether it supports the exact ASE or ASA edition and the Aberration map you intend to run.

Choose self-hosting when you are comfortable maintaining a machine and want unrestricted control. Choose managed hosting when avoiding network administration and routine maintenance is worth the recurring cost, but confirm edition, map, mod, backup, and geographic support before committing.

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Final setup checklist

• Edition identified: ASE uses Aberration_P; ASA uses Aberration_WP.
• ASE files installed with SteamCMD application ID 376030.
• Server directory and executable path match the launch script.
• Session name, game port, query port, player password, and administrator password are set deliberately.
• First launch completed and ShooterGame/Saved was created.
• A clean backup exists before configuration, mod, or version changes.
• Firewall rules and router forwarding use the same ports as the launch command.
• The host’s private IP is reserved, and remote testing was performed from outside the LAN.
• Memory and upstream bandwidth were observed with the expected player load.
• Linux automation was tested through systemd, or the Windows startup task was tested after a reboot.

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