Host your own ARK Survival Ascended dedicated server with or without Nitrado with these instructions.

First Published October 31, 2023, 11:14

Hosting dedicated server has been an essential part of ARK Survival Ascended, as it will allow you to enjoy the game with your friends or other players online. The server runs independently of the host’s game client and offers more stability, performance, and customization than non-dedicated servers.

If you want to host a dedicated ARK: Survival Ascended server, here is how to do it using the official way via Nitrado, and if you want to do it for free, you can still follow this guide as we will provide instructions regarding that as well.

Table of Contents

Ark Survival Ascended: How to Host Dedicated Server Using Nitrado

To create a dedicated server for ARK Survival Ascended, you will need the following:

• A PC that meets the minimum system requirements for the game.
• A stable internet connection with sufficient bandwidth and speed.
• A Nitrado account and subscription plan for hosting the server.

The steps to create a dedicated server are as follows:

1. Log in to your Nitrado account and select the ARK: Survival Ascended server option from the menu. Choose your preferred server location, slot number, runtime, and payment method. Confirm your order and wait for the server to be activated.
2. Edit the server configuration files to customize your server settings, such as name, password, map, mods, rules, etc. You can find the configuration guide on the Nitrado website or use the in-game menu to create your server options.
3. Run the server and wait for it to initialize. You can check the server status and logs on your Nitrado dashboard.
4. Join your server by using the “Connect” button on your Nitrado dashboard or by entering your server IP and port in the game client. You can also invite other players to join your server by sharing your server name and password.

Can You Host ARK Survival Ascended Dedicated Server Without Nitrado?

If you do not want to use Nitrado as your server hosting provider, you can also host a dedicated server for ARK: Survival Ascended without it. However, this will require more technical skills and resources from you.

To host a dedicated server without Nitrado, you will need the following:

• A PC that meets the recommended system requirements for the game.
• A static IP address or a domain name for your PC.
• A router that supports port forwarding or UPnP.
• The ARK: Survival Ascended Dedicated Server software that can be downloaded from Steam or SteamCMD.

The steps to host a dedicated server without Nitrado are similar to those with Nitrado, except for the following differences:

1. Instead of logging in to your Nitrado account and ordering a server, you must set up your PC as a server. This means that you will need to keep your PC running 24/7 if you want your server to be online all the time. You will also need to ensure that your PC has enough power, cooling, and security to prevent overheating, crashing, or hacking.
2. Instead of using Nitrado’s dashboard to manage your server settings and logs, you will need to use SteamCMD or other third-party tools to do so. You will also need to manually update your server software whenever there is a new patch or version available.
3. Instead of using Nitrado’s “Connect” button or entering your Nitrado’s IP and port in the game client, you will need to use your own static IP address or domain name and port in the game client. You will also need to configure your router to forward the necessary ports or enable UPnP to allow other players to join your server. 

One of the main disadvantages of using your PC as a host is that you will need multiple Steam accounts to host different servers, so looking at all the pros and cons, we recommend you to go with Nitrado to host your dedicated ARK Survival Ascended server.

Written by Rabia Sayal

Rabia leads the coverage of her first love, VALORANT, and is also a die-hard fan of Genshin Impact’s lore and character designs, though she misses playing retro games like Mario, Roadrash, Need for Speed II, and a lot more. She is currently enjoying Honkai: Star Rail and is eagerly waiting for Minecraft The Wild update. You will also find her playing Fireboy and Watergirl when she is feeling pretty lazy and wants to play It Takes Two once again sometime soon. You can also find her past work on the likes of Gamepur, Sportskeeda, Hard Drive, and more publications. Along with being a gamer, she has done Masters in Mathematics and loves to play with numbers.

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