If you’ve ever tried to play ARK with a friend on the same local network only to deal with constant lag, dropped connections, or being tied to the host’s game session, you know how frustrating it can be. Learning how to run dedicated server ARK 2 computers fixes almost all of these issues, letting you both play freely even if one person logs off for the night. I’ve set up dozens of ARK servers for my friend group over the years, and this guide skips all the confusing jargon to walk you through the exact process that works every time. You don’t need expensive hardware or advanced coding skills to pull this off, just a few minutes of setup and the two computers you already use for gaming.
Pre-Requisites You Need Before You Start Setup
Before you jump into editing files or downloading tools, take two minutes to check you have all the basics covered. Skipping this step is the number one reason people hit roadblocks halfway through setup, so it’s worth the extra time to confirm everything is in order. I always run through this list first even now, after years of setting up servers, to avoid silly mistakes that waste time.
- Two Windows or Linux PCs that meet ARK’s minimum system requirements for both server hosting and gameplay – the PC you use to host the server will need at least 8GB of free RAM and 10GB of free storage space, even if you’re only playing with one other person.
- Both computers connected to the same local area network (LAN) if you’re playing locally, or a stable internet connection with at least 10Mbps upload speed if you’re playing over the internet with someone in a different location.
- A valid copy of ARK: Survival Evolved installed on both computers, updated to the latest official version to avoid version mismatch errors.
- Admin access on both computers to edit firewall settings and install server files if needed.
You don’t need to pay for a third-party server host for this setup, by the way. The hardware most people already use for gaming is more than powerful enough to host a server for two players without any performance hit, as long as you don’t overload it with too many mods right away. If you plan to add more players later, you can always migrate the world files to a paid host down the line, but for two people, local hosting works perfectly.
Step-by-Step to Run Dedicated Server ARK 2 Computers
Now that you have all your pre-requisites sorted, the actual setup process only takes about 15 minutes to complete. I’ve simplified these steps to cut out all the unnecessary steps most guides include that only apply to servers with 10+ players, so you won’t waste time adjusting settings that don’t matter for your small private server.
First, pick which computer you want to use as the host. This doesn’t have to be the most powerful one, but it’s best to pick the one that stays online more often if you want the server to be accessible even when one person isn’t playing. On the host computer, download the ARK Dedicated Server tool through Steam – you can find it in the Tools section of your Steam library for free, no extra purchase required.
Once the server tool is downloaded, right click it in your Steam library, select Properties, then navigate to the Launch Options box. Paste the following line into the box, adjusting the values to match your preferences: TheIsland?SessionName=MyARKServer?MaxPlayers=2?Port=27015?QueryPort=27016?ServerAdminPassword=YourPasswordHere. This sets the map, server name, player limit (to 2, which is all you need), and ports you’ll use to connect. You can change the map to any ARK map you own, like Scorched Earth or Aberration, just swap out TheIsland for the map name.
Save the launch options, then start the server tool. Let it run for 5 to 10 minutes the first time you launch it, as it needs to generate all the world files for your server. You’ll know it’s done when you see a line that says “Server connected to Steam” in the server console window. Don’t close the console window while the server is running, that will shut it down immediately.
Next, you need to adjust your firewall settings on the host computer to let the second computer connect. Go to Windows Defender Firewall, select Advanced Settings, then add inbound rules for ports 27015, 27016, and 7777 for both UDP and TCP. This is a step most people forget, and it’s the most common reason you won’t see the server pop up in your ARK server list later.
On the second computer, open ARK, navigate to the server browser, and filter for LAN servers if you’re playing on the same network. You should see your server name pop up within a minute. If you’re playing over the internet, you’ll need to enter the host computer’s public IP address plus the port 27015 in the “Join by IP” section of the server browser to connect. Enter the admin password you set earlier if prompted, and you’ll load right into the world.
Fixing Common Setup Issues You Might Face
Even if you follow every step perfectly, you might run into a small issue or two when you first try to connect. These are all easy to fix, and I’ve run into every single one of these at least once while setting up servers for my friends, so I know exactly what works to resolve them fast.
If you can’t see the server in the browser at all, double check that your firewall rules are set correctly on the host computer. I’ve had cases where Windows Defender automatically resets rules after an update, so it’s worth double checking even if you set them 10 minutes earlier. You can also temporarily turn off the firewall on the host for 2 minutes to test if that’s the issue, just make sure you turn it back on right after you confirm.
If you get a version mismatch error when you try to join, that means either the server tool or one of the copies of ARK is out of date. Go to your Steam downloads page and make sure both the server tool and the game are updated to the latest version, then restart both the server and the game on both computers. This error almost never happens if you have automatic updates turned on for both the game and server tool, so it’s worth enabling that if you haven’t already.
If you’re getting constant lag even with a good internet connection, check if the host computer is running too many other programs in the background. Streaming apps, video editing tools, or even other open games can take up RAM and CPU that the server needs to run smoothly. Close any unnecessary programs on the host before you start the server to free up resources. If you still get lag, lower the in-game graphics settings on both computers first before adjusting server settings.
If you want to add mods to your server, make sure you install the exact same mods on both computers, and that all mods are updated to the latest version. Even one mod that’s out of date on one computer will cause crashes or connection errors that are hard to track down if you don’t know what you’re looking for. Stick to 5 or fewer mods at first to avoid overloading the server.
Optimizing Your Server for Smooth Gameplay on Two Devices
Once your server is up and running, there are a few small tweaks you can make to ensure it runs as smoothly as possible for both players, even if you’re exploring the map far apart or building large bases. These tweaks only take a minute to apply, and they make a huge difference in overall performance.
First, lower the server’s view distance if you’re noticing lag when you’re in open areas like the desert or the ocean. You can adjust this in the server’s GameUserSettings.ini file, which you can find in the server tool’s installation folder. A view distance of 3 to 4 is more than enough for two players, and it cuts down on the amount of resources the server needs to use to render distant objects. You can raise it later if you find you don’t have any performance issues.
You can also disable unused server features that you don’t need for a small two-person server. For example, if you don’t care about official leaderboards or anti-cheat for your private server, you can add -NoBattlEye and -NoLeaderboards to your server launch options to free up extra RAM and CPU. Just make sure both players have BattlEye disabled in their game settings too if you turn it off for the server.
If you want the server to run even when the host player isn’t playing ARK, you can set the server tool to run in the background without taking up too many resources. Just minimize the server console window instead of closing it, and you can still use the host computer for browsing the web or streaming videos as long as you don’t run too many heavy programs at the same time. I’ve hosted servers on my main PC while watching Netflix with no performance hit for either the server or the stream.
Another easy optimization is to set the server to automatically save every 15 minutes instead of the default 5 minutes. This reduces the number of times the server has to write large files to your hard drive, which can cause small lag spikes for both players when it happens. You can adjust this setting in the Game.ini file, just make sure you don’t set it to longer than 30 minutes, or you risk losing a lot of progress if the server crashes unexpectedly.
One last tip: If you’re playing for multiple hours at a time, restart the server once every 4 to 6 hours to clear out unused cache data. This only takes a minute, and it prevents the slow performance that often happens after a server has been running for an entire day without a restart.
At the end of the day, setting up your own private server is way easier than most people make it sound, and it makes playing ARK with a friend way more enjoyable than relying on peer-to-peer connections or expensive third-party hosts. Once you know how to run dedicated server ARK 2 computers, you can tweak the settings, add mods, and play on your own schedule without any of the restrictions that come with public servers. If you run into any issues you can’t fix on your first try, just go back through the steps one by one – 99% of the time, the fix is a small setting you missed during the initial setup. You’ll be exploring, taming dinos, and building bases without lag before you know it.