Deploying your own ARK: Survival Ascended (ASA) dedicated server has never been easier. Through your WHMCS client area, you can get your server up and running in just a few steps — no advanced IT skills required. This guide walks you through the entire process, from logging in to joining your first session.
Step 1: Log In to Your WHMCS Client Area — Navigate to your hosting provider’s client area and sign in with your account credentials. Once logged in, head to your active services and locate your ARK: Survival Ascended server package. Click ‘Manage’ to access the server control panel.
Step 2: Access the Game Server Control Panel — From your WHMCS dashboard, click the link to your game server control panel. This is where you’ll manage all aspects of your ARK: Survival Ascended server, including startup parameters, configuration files, map selection, and player settings.
Step 3: Configure Your Server Settings — Before deploying, customize your server by setting a unique server name, an admin password, a join password (optional), and your maximum player count. You can also select your preferred map — available options include The Island, Scorched Earth, The Center, Ragnarok, Aberration, Extinction, and more.
Step 4: Select Your Map & Game Mode — ARK: Survival Ascended supports multiple maps, each with unique environments and challenges. Choose between PvP (Player vs. Player) or PvE (Player vs. Environment) mode. All ASA maps use the _WP suffix in server startup commands — this is handled automatically through your control panel.
Step 5: Install Server Files via SteamCMD — Your control panel will automatically use SteamCMD to download and validate the ASA dedicated server files (App ID: 2430930). Each ARK: Survival Ascended server installation requires approximately 11 GB of drive space, plus additional space for saves, mods, and future updates.
Step 6: Open Required Ports — For your server to be publicly accessible, make sure ports 7777 (game port) and 27015 (query port) are open. Your WHMCS-managed hosting environment typically handles firewall rules automatically — check your control panel’s network settings to confirm these ports are active.
Step 7: Start Your ARK: Survival Ascended Server — Once configuration is complete, click the ‘Start Server’ button in your control panel. The server will initialize — this may take a few minutes on the first launch. You can monitor startup progress and live logs directly from your WHMCS client area.
Step 8: Connect to Your Server In-Game — After the server is online, launch ARK: Survival Ascended and open the in-game console. Enter the command: open [your_server_ip]:7777 to connect directly. Alternatively, your server will appear in the in-game server browser once it has fully initialized.
Step 9: Customize Advanced Settings — Fine-tune your server experience by editing the GameUserSettings.ini and Game.ini configuration files, accessible from your control panel’s file manager. Adjust gameplay rates, difficulty, day/night cycles, PvP/PvE toggles, and mod lists. Remember to restart the server after saving any changes.
Step 10: Install Mods (Optional) — ARK: Survival Ascended supports mods via CurseForge. To install mods, add the relevant CurseForge mod Project IDs to your server configuration (comma-separated). You can browse available mods at curseforge.com/ark-survival-ascended and enable or disable BattlEye anti-cheat as needed for your modding setup.
Keep Your Server Running Smoothly — Regularly update your server to stay compatible with the latest ASA client versions. Your WHMCS control panel supports automatic updates via SteamCMD on startup. For optimal performance, ARK: Survival Ascended servers require at least 16 GB RAM, a 4-core CPU, and a stable high-bandwidth internet connection.