Create an ARK: Survival Evolved Server

Overview

ARK: Survival Evolved is at its best when a group can log in, tame creatures, build bases, and lose track of time together. A dedicated server makes that much easier because the world stays available even when the owner is offline. Players can join whenever the server is running instead of waiting for one person to host the session.

A server also gives you control over the experience. You can adjust dinosaur behavior, player rules, cheats, passwords, whitelists, mods, custom maps, and plenty of smaller settings. ARK has a lot of knobs to turn, because apparently surviving dinosaurs was not complicated enough already.

This guide explains how to create an ARK server with HolyHosting and covers the first settings most owners should know.

Set the Server to ARK: Survival Evolved

1. Open your HolyHosting server panel and find the version selector.
2. Select the current server version, then search for and choose ARK: Survival Evolved.

1. Confirm the change, allow a new world to generate, then restart the server.

1. Wait while the server finishes loading. This can take a few minutes. When it is ready, the panel should show the server as online.

First Setup Steps

ARK servers include many configuration options, but you do not need to edit everything at once. Start with joining the server, then decide whether you need a password, whitelist, admin access, mods, or a custom map.

Join Your ARK Server

1. In the server panel, copy the server IP Address:Port. Use the Steam version of the address if multiple connection options are shown.

1. Open Steam.
2. Select View in the top-left menu, then choose Servers.
3. Go to the Favorites tab and click Add a Server.
4. Paste the server IP and port, then press Add This Address to Favorites.

1. Launch ARK: Survival Evolved.
2. Choose Join ARK from the main menu.
3. Set the session filter to Favorites. Refresh the list if the server does not appear right away.

1. Select your server and click Join.

Add a Server Password

A password is the quickest way to keep random players out while still letting friends join.

1. Open the server panel and select the server settings from your panel menu.

1. Under Security, enter the password you want to use in the Server Password field.

1. Return to the main panel and restart the server so the change takes effect.

Enable and Configure the Whitelist

A whitelist is stricter than a password. Only approved Steam accounts can join, which is useful for private communities or testing servers.

1. Go to the server settings in your panel.
2. Find Server Whitelist under the server settings area.

1. Enable the option, then restart the server from the main page.
2. After it loads, stop the server again.
3. Open the configuration files section from your panel menu.

1. Select the ARK Whitelist File and leave that tab open.
2. Go to SteamID.io and search for your Steam username, or the username of the player you want to add.
3. Copy the player SteamID64 value.

1. Paste each SteamID64 onto its own line in the whitelist file.

1. Save the file, then restart the server.

Set an Admin Password

Admin access lets trusted players run server commands. Be careful with who gets it, since admin tools can change the world quickly.

1. Open the server settings from your panel.
2. Find Admin Password under the Security section.

1. Enter a strong password.
2. Return to the main server page and restart the server.
3. Join the server after it finishes loading.
4. Press TAB to open the console.
5. Run this command, replacing the bracketed text with your password:

`enablecheats [Admin Password]`

Example:

`enablecheats MyPassword123`

1. Test admin access with commands such as `cheat fly` and `cheat walk`.

Change ARK Server Settings

The largest advantage of running your own ARK server is control over the rules. Many settings live inside configuration files, especially `GameUserSettings.ini`. Some options may already be handled by the panel, so avoid changing the same setting in two places.

1. In the server panel, stop the server.
2. Open the configuration files section from your panel menu.
3. Select Server Configuration, which opens `GameUserSettings.ini`.

1. Edit existing values or add new settings on blank lines where needed.

1. Save the file and restart the server.

For deeper tuning, check the ARK server configuration documentation and adjust one group of settings at a time. If something breaks, you will know which change caused the problem.

Use Custom Maps

Custom maps are a good way to refresh an ARK server once the default world starts feeling familiar. You can find maps through the ARK Steam Workshop, then install the map files on the server and set the server to load that map.

After installation, players usually need to download the same map before joining. Workshop maps are made by creators and community members, so test them before launching them for a full group. A quick test can prevent a long evening of troubleshooting while everyone asks if the server is up yet.

Install Server Mods

Mods can add creatures, weapons, building options, quality-of-life changes, and full gameplay overhauls. Browse the ARK Steam Workshop, choose the mods you want, then install them on the server and confirm they load in the correct order.

Modded servers work best when you add changes gradually. Install a few mods, restart, test the server, then continue. Combining mods, maps, and custom settings can create a unique ARK experience, but too many untested changes at once can make troubleshooting harder than fighting the wildlife.

Useful Links

• SteamID.io website
• ARK server configuration documentation
• How to change ARK server settings
• How to add ARK mods to a server
• How to add a custom map to an ARK server

Final Notes

Creating an ARK server gives you a persistent world for friends, private groups, or a larger community. Start with the basic setup, confirm players can join, then add passwords, whitelists, admins, mods, maps, and configuration changes as needed. Once the foundation is working, you can shape the server into anything from a lightly tuned survival world to a heavily modded dinosaur experiment with rules of its own.