Issues setting up an unofficial server

[EveTater]

Hey guys I know there's been a bunch of these over the years but scouring through tutorial videos and other forums I'm just kind of lost. I believe I've forwarded the ports of my modem correctly and set my ip to static but I can't figure out the other steps necessary from here.
I'm able to host my server from the default in-game ark dedicated server launcher and it comes up in lan but I need it to be over the internet in unofficial.
There's a router connected to the modem however I'm getting differing information on whether or not I need to do anything with that (extra port forwarding wise) as well as what to do with the pc firewall. On top of that the ports ark uses vary greatly from what each person says (with most saying 7777,7778,21015 but again thats just the only real common denominator between them all). I want to do this without downloads (like the CMD and ServrAdmin programs, they seem to require extra steps that just confuse me nor are they necessary to run it so why bother). Additionally I don't understand the .bat file buisiness, what is it's purpose if I can already launch the server and join it on lan by default?
I'm pretty blind to this stuff so elaboration is greatly appreciated.

[KitsuneShiro]

You could check out ASM (ark server manager). It gives you a graphical user interface.

[EveTater]

Originally posted by KitsuneShiro:

You could check out ASM (ark server manager). It gives you a graphical user interface.

My issue with this, correct me if I'm wrong (haven't used it), is that it doesn't help actually get the server from lan to open internet. It seems to be a way to configure the server settings and port issues can only be solved manually?

[KitsuneShiro]

ASM doesn't port forward for you.

It does give you a graphical user interface to do all the settings and actually run the server.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=468312476&searchtext=Asm

[Lordbufu]

Yes ASM is purely visual, if your using default settings and no RCON the ports you want to forward are 7777, 27015 (all UDP). 7777 is basicly your connection from client to server, and 27015 is the querry port for server listing if im not mistaken. 7778 by default is for raw socket connections, dont think you need or want to use that as it can cause more issues then you would like to deal with (i do have it forwarded though just to be on the save side).

You can offcourse change these in the settings if you want, incl your RCON port, but the ones mentioned above are most important.

A router doesnt need port forwarding, that something for modems a router is a much simpler device and just relay trafic (without to much technical information, there is obviously more to it just not for home use).

If your modem has a DMZ option, you can always put you local server adress in the DMZ and see if that solves the issue, that way you can see if its the modem or your firewall that is causing the issue.

[AnnieO]

Originally posted by EveTater:

Originally posted by KitsuneShiro:

You could check out ASM (ark server manager). It gives you a graphical user interface.

My issue with this, correct me if I'm wrong (haven't used it), is that it doesn't help actually get the server from lan to open internet. It seems to be a way to configure the server settings and port issues can only be solved manually?

ASM will auto open the ports on your firewall. You will have to port forward your own router, however so start here:

https://portforward.com/ark-survival-evolved/

[MariusMonkii]

Originally posted by AnnieO:

Originally posted by EveTater:

My issue with this, correct me if I'm wrong (haven't used it), is that it doesn't help actually get the server from lan to open internet. It seems to be a way to configure the server settings and port issues can only be solved manually?

ASM will auto open the ports on your firewall. You will have to port forward your own router, however so start here:

https://portforward.com/ark-survival-evolved/

meebee I am blind, but there is no port 7777 in that manual, that's te default port... but then again, maybe I am blind :)

ASM is a great, tool, easy to use AND you can see if your server is correctly setup and if your port forwarding works. It will give Available if it is correctly setup.

[Lordbufu]

Originally posted by AnnieO:

https://portforward.com/ark-survival-evolved/

52 Ports for PC .... and most of them TCP ..... that site is a joke tbh dont ever use it for anything.

https://ark.gamepedia.com/Dedicated_Server_Setup

As i said before port 7777, 7778, 27015 are all you need for 1 server without RCON, all of them UDP. And despite the wiki not mentioning it, you dont really need 7778 either unless your using the Raw socket port, and that is off by default if you look at a more visual manager like ASM.

[Leviathan]

Like everyone else already said, just use ASM... It makes your life... like... 100% easier...

[Morggin]

Is your server on the inside of the modem set to a manual IP address also? You have to forward the ports to your servers internal IP address. If your server is set to DHCP you may run into issues.

Do you have a firewall service running on the server as well? You will need to allow internet zone to communicate with the machine before it will accept inbound traffic from your router. 7777 and 27015 are the default UDP ports and thouse should be all your need to port forward.

Your ISP router should have a port forward similar to this. (sometimes called NAT for Network Address Translation or PAT for Port Address Translation in the CISCO world)

public IP Address --->7777 UPD ----> private IP Address of server
public IP Address --->27015 UDP ----> private IP Address of server

Windows firewall service needs to allow traffic from internet zone to Shootergame.exe.

It may be working on LAN because your server firewall service by default may allow LAN traffic to Shootergame.exe.

A quick way to test if the Windows Firewall service is stopping it is to temporarily turn it off.

Also on another note, you normaly may not see the server on the non-offical list unless you "hairpin" your router to allow your machines on the inside to use the external address to connect to the internal server. That's a bit more complicated to setup.

[EveTater]

Thank you all so much, was not expecting this kind of response. I'll let you know how it goes today!

[EveTater]

So I used ASM to make a server, can still get this to go lan but not able to have friends connect. I've tried giving them the ip:27015 then searching in steam servers, nothing. I've tried to have them join my session through the friends list, nothing. ASM is auto-checkmarked to handle firewall access on it's own, and I'm almost certain my modem port forwarding was correct, as well as having my ip be static. Any advice?

[KitsuneShiro]

In steam. View. Servers. They can add ip:port to favorites.

[MariusMonkii]

Originally posted by EveTater:

So I used ASM to make a server, can still get this to go lan but not able to have friends connect. I've tried giving them the ip:27015 then searching in steam servers, nothing. I've tried to have them join my session through the friends list, nothing. ASM is auto-checkmarked to handle firewall access on it's own, and I'm almost certain my modem port forwarding was correct, as well as having my ip be static. Any advice?

Does ASM show your server as "Available" ? If so port forwarding is setup right, if not, then that is the issue...

Also if you have your server password protected, let your friend and yourself CHECK the checkbox to show password protected servers.

[EveTater]

Originally posted by KitsuneShiro:

In steam. View. Servers. They can add ip:port to favorites.

Thats what I said I had them try, they recieve "No servers currently running this ip" or something

It doesn't show as available but apparently there are a bunch of other reasons for that, I can't figure out how my ports are incorrectly forwarded I essentially only had to type in 7777,27015... and that was it both UDP should be fine.

[MariusMonkii]

Are you useing Raw Sockets?
Neverless, dont use Raw Sockets.
I always enable 7777-7778 Both TCP/UDP even if that is not needed and TCP/UDP 27015.
It always works for me.

This is the entry in my router/firewall.

Name ARK Server 1
Protocol TCP/UDP
LAN Host 192.168.1.13
WAN Port 7777 ~ 7778
LAN Host Port 7777 ~ 7778

Where 192.168.1.13 is my Server IP Address.

PS It has to show up as Available, else there is no connection....