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ARK first setup and first connection

Ordering, the long first install, finding your server in the in-game list and what to change on day one.

1 min readUpdated 2026-09-14Diese Anleitung auf Deutsch lesen →

ARK servers are big: the first installation downloads 15-30 GB (Evolved) or 40+ GB (Ascended) from Steam. Expect 10-30 minutes before the panel says the server is ready, and another 2-5 minutes on every start while the map loads.

Ports

ARK uses several ports at once; we allocate them automatically when you order: the game port, the port right after it (raw UDP), a query port and RCON. You see them in the Network tab and in the Startup variables (QUERY_PORT, RCON_PORT). Do not change them.

Connecting

  • In-game server list: filter Unofficial, search for your server name. It appears a few minutes after the first start, once Steam's master server picked it up.
  • Direct: Steam → View → Game Servers → Favorites → Add server with node1.penguhost.com:<query port>. Then join from the favourites tab in ARK. This is the reliable way.
  • Ascended: the in-game browser with the Unofficial filter, or the open node1.penguhost.com:<game port> console command.

Day one

  1. Set a server password if you want privacy: ARK_PASSWORD (Evolved) or SERVER_PASSWORD (Ascended) in Startup.
  2. Set the admin password (ARK_ADMIN_PASSWORD). You need it for enablecheats.
  3. Pick rates in GameUserSettings.ini as described in Rates.
  4. Restart. Then tame something.