Server Setup (Without Resellers, Better Performance, Save Money)

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OwnProx

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 19, 2018
Messages
514
first off if you want to save money and have better performance and full root access to your actual files, Here's how, this will in no way give you free windows you will have to activate that yourself if you are a student you can likely get the licenses for free from microsoft.com else you can do some not so legal methods to do so or you just simply buy a cheap licenses off of ebay.

Port Forwarding:
this is not required with a vps / dedicated server by default all ports are open and windows firewall handles most that if you plan to use Ark Server Manager it already adds rules to the windows firewall for you and if your using linux well that's a simple in iptable

1. you will need a dedicated server from https://www.soyoustart.com/us/ or https://www.ovh.co.uk/dedicated_servers/ or you can go for a slightly cheaper alternative a vps which will not be as good in performance but a good site is: https://contabo.com/?show=vps (suggested to get ssd and make sure to get windows with it and if you get a vps skip to step 7)
2. Obtaining free windows can be done by simply heading to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/kmsclientkeys
3. Get a Windows 2016 Standard or Windows 2008 Standard r2 or another one such as 2012
4. Go to your ovh / sos manager and click 'Licenses' and then click 'Add an SPLA licence' then select your machine
5. Version Type put this as OS Windows SPLA licence then for the license add the one you grabbed from the url above
6. Go back to your dashboard / manager home page then click 'install' and if it worked you should now find windows server (at the bottom i believe) and then Install windows
7.Wait for a email saying your windows was installed and then you will be emailed your username and password
8. Search your pc for 'Remote Desktop Connection' now place the Dedicated Servers Ip Address as the Computer and press connect
9. Now you will be asked for a username and password can be obtained from the email you received earlier
10. Once logged in you can simply start setting up your ark server but its wise to do a few things first so simply search 'control panel' and open it
11. Now search control panel for 'Power Options' and open that then you will see the preferred plan will be on Recommended instead change it to High Performance
12. Now you can either go use steamcmd method (which i use) or for a better choice and a easier method you can get Ark Server Manager (handles updates, downloading, mods)
13. Recommended Software Ark Server Manager Download Link: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=468312476
14. Follow some basic tutorial somewhere out there on the net on how to use Ark Server Manager it is pretty self explanatory

Cheap Windows Server Key's (Please check seller feedback before buying one and don't hold me accountable if it does not show. I bought one and it did so its down to the seller you choose)
Windows Server 2016 License: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...ey.TRS0&_nkw=windows+server+2016+key&_sacat=0
Windows Server 2012 License: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...ey.TRS0&_nkw=windows+server+2012+key&_sacat=0
Windows Server 2008 License: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...TRS0&_nkw=windows+server+2008+r2+key&_sacat=0

Even Newer Dedicated Server Hardware: https://labs.ovh.com/ << can get I8700k here or Ryzen 7 1700

Linux Server Manager Alternative: https://linuxgsm.com/lgsm/arkserver/

Example of what you are given (a pc with remote access and with super fast internet):
tRSzOkD.png
 
Last edited:
if you have a 64 gb dedicated server , isn't it better to install esxi and make 4 (16GB servers) witch each there own windows os? and cluster them all to gather so they dont steal resources ?
 
no in no way is using vmware or esxi better because you are then running 4 operating systems that's adding a lot more usage the better way is in task manager you could use cpu affinity and most the dedicated servers come with 2 hard drives so you can make it only using 1 partition when installing by checking custom config during installing then you can select to use 1 partition then once your os is installed right click on This Pc -> Click Manage -> Look left panel for Storage and click Disk management and you will see unallocated space right click that and click new drive or new partition don't remember now follow the gui and bamn you now can split your servers on the 2 hd's and you can also make there save timers different too.

8tVLwjy.png


^^ in task manager go details tab and right click on ShooterGameServer.exe and click Cpu Affinity

and network wise you wont have a issue
 
always will still work. just dont try it with kimsufi website that wont work, you need to use rescue mode if you used there cheaper site.
 
no in no way is using vmware or esxi better because you are then running 4 operating systems that's adding a lot more usage the better way is in task manager you could use cpu affinity and most the dedicated servers come with 2 hard drives so you can make it only using 1 partition when installing by checking custom config during installing then you can select to use 1 partition then once your os is installed right click on This Pc -> Click Manage -> Look left panel for Storage and click Disk management and you will see unallocated space right click that and click new drive or new partition don't remember now follow the gui and bamn you now can split your servers on the 2 hd's and you can also make there save timers different too.

8tVLwjy.png


^^ in task manager go details tab and right click on ShooterGameServer.exe and click Cpu Affinity

and network wise you wont have a issue

I have an
HP DL380 G7 144GB RAM
2 hex core, 24 thread

I run ESXi on it and it works flawless

Server vm has 10 threads and 70gb ram and I run windows server 2019 on it with asm and 6 ark servers
Also MySQL
I use the cpu affinity from asm , 2 “cores” per server instance and the 6th one shares 2 cores with 2 other instances
Also running servers at 60 FPS
My pop is very low as is a new cluster but for now it performs brilliantly
 
I have an
HP DL380 G7 144GB RAM
2 hex core, 24 thread

I run ESXi on it and it works flawless

Server vm has 10 threads and 70gb ram and I run windows server 2019 on it with asm and 6 ark servers
Also MySQL
I use the cpu affinity from asm , 2 “cores” per server instance and the 6th one shares 2 cores with 2 other instances
Also running servers at 60 FPS
My pop is very low as is a new cluster but for now it performs brilliantly
yeah but your still losing performance on emulating several operating systems next to me only hosting one... using vms with ark and actually having players and months of saved data is a big no no, i also have a G7 24 core dual xeon 5650 too as well and it nowhere near performs aswell as my i7 7700k 5ghz oc and ark is more single thread reliant.
 
Last edited:
Someone have experience with Contabo?
Servers appears in Ark unofficial list?
 
I was a time in contabo and my advice is if you are going to mount 1-2 servers can be worth (servers without a heavy load of mods) but as you want to have 3-4 active maps will start to give you problems, at the time I rented one of ``high range'' and to mount the 4 server the rest of servers had a super high ping. As commented above I at the moment to pay a VPS today directly would go to a dedicated own without sharing resources with anyone in OVH Cloud (which is where I am for almost a year without any problem with 11-12 maps mounted on the same machine) if you are going to mount several maps you get more profitable than a host type Nitrado or a VPS, I hope this helps you
Thanks for the info
 
first off if you want to save money and have better performance and full root access to your actual files, Here's how, this will in no way give you free windows you will have to activate that yourself if you are a student you can likely get the licenses for free from microsoft.com else you can do some not so legal methods to do so or you just simply buy a cheap licenses off of ebay.

Port Forwarding:
this is not required with a vps / dedicated server by default all ports are open and windows firewall handles most that if you plan to use Ark Server Manager it already adds rules to the windows firewall for you and if your using linux well that's a simple in iptable

1. you will need a dedicated server from https://www.soyoustart.com/us/ or https://www.ovh.co.uk/dedicated_servers/ or you can go for a slightly cheaper alternative a vps which will not be as good in performance but a good site is: https://contabo.com/?show=vps (suggested to get ssd and make sure to get windows with it and if you get a vps skip to step 7)
2. Obtaining free windows can be done by simply heading to https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-server/get-started/kmsclientkeys
3. Get a Windows 2016 Standard or Windows 2008 Standard r2 or another one such as 2012
4. Go to your ovh / sos manager and click 'Licenses' and then click 'Add an SPLA licence' then select your machine
5. Version Type put this as OS Windows SPLA licence then for the license add the one you grabbed from the url above
6. Go back to your dashboard / manager home page then click 'install' and if it worked you should now find windows server (at the bottom i believe) and then Install windows
7.Wait for a email saying your windows was installed and then you will be emailed your username and password
8. Search your pc for 'Remote Desktop Connection' now place the Dedicated Servers Ip Address as the Computer and press connect
9. Now you will be asked for a username and password can be obtained from the email you received earlier
10. Once logged in you can simply start setting up your ark server but its wise to do a few things first so simply search 'control panel' and open it
11. Now search control panel for 'Power Options' and open that then you will see the preferred plan will be on Recommended instead change it to High Performance
12. Now you can either go use steamcmd method (which i use) or for a better choice and a easier method you can get Ark Server Manager (handles updates, downloading, mods)
13. Recommended Software Ark Server Manager Download Link: https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=468312476
14. Follow some basic tutorial somewhere out there on the net on how to use Ark Server Manager it is pretty self explanatory

Cheap Windows Server Key's (Please check seller feedback before buying one and don't hold me accountable if it does not show. I bought one and it did so its down to the seller you choose)
Windows Server 2016 License: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...ey.TRS0&_nkw=windows+server+2016+key&_sacat=0
Windows Server 2012 License: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...ey.TRS0&_nkw=windows+server+2012+key&_sacat=0
Windows Server 2008 License: https://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_...TRS0&_nkw=windows+server+2008+r2+key&_sacat=0

Even Newer Dedicated Server Hardware: https://labs.ovh.com/ << can get I8700k here or Ryzen 7 1700

Linux Server Manager Alternative: https://linuxgsm.com/lgsm/arkserver/

Example of what you are given (a pc with remote access and with super fast internet):
tRSzOkD.png
Hey OwnProx. i am newbie.
I can't see choose windown option, only:
Ubuntu
CentOS
AlmaLinux
Archlinux
Debian
Docker
Fedora
FreeBSD
openSUSE
Rockylinu

could you please help me,

 
thank you for your help! Just one more question if I choose no license required, will I be able to install windows? because I want to use legal methods to activate windows
I think it will install Linux as default, but you can buy the license of windows later.
Try to install manual and use the trial of windows.
 
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