ARK Server – Setting Up a Cluster (Connecting Multiple Maps)

This guide shows you step by step how to connect multiple ARK servers into a cluster. A cluster allows your players to travel between different maps with their character and dinos – without data loss. This is the most popular server configuration for ARK.

What is an ARK Cluster?

A cluster connects multiple ARK servers together. Players can travel between maps via obelisks or supply drops and take their character, dinos and items with them. Each map runs as its own server process, but shares the same cluster configuration.

Requirements

• Multiple ARK server installations (one per map)
• Sufficient RAM – each map needs 8-12 GB, so a 3-map cluster needs 24-36 GB RAM
• Sufficient CPU – each map runs as its own process, 6-8 cores recommended overall
• Unique ports for each map
• A shared folder for cluster data

Step 1: Prepare Folder Structure

# Main directory for the cluster
mkdir -p ~/ark-cluster

# Shared cluster folder (important!)
mkdir -p ~/ark-cluster/cluster

# One folder per map
mkdir -p ~/ark-cluster/TheIsland
mkdir -p ~/ark-cluster/Ragnarok
mkdir -p ~/ark-cluster/Aberration

Step 2: Assign Ports for Each Map

Each map needs its own ports that don't overlap:

Each additional server increases the game port by 2 and the other ports by 1.

Step 3: Create Cluster Configuration

Create the cluster configuration file. This file must be identical for all servers in the cluster:

nano ~/ark-cluster/cluster/clustersettings.ini

[Cluster]
ClusterDir=/home/user/ark-cluster/cluster
ClusterID=YOUR_UNIQUE_CLUSTER_NAME
ClusterKey=YOUR_SECURE_CLUSTER_KEY

• ClusterDir: Absolute path to the shared cluster folder
• ClusterID: A unique name for your cluster
• ClusterKey: A secure password – all servers in the cluster must have the same key

Step 4: Create Startup Scripts for Each Map

The Island (start-island.bat / .sh)

start ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?SessionName=MyCluster-Island?MaxPlayers=20?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?RCONPort=27020?ServerPassword=secret?ServerAdminPassword=admin123?ClusterDirOverride=/home/user/ark-cluster/cluster -log -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=MyCluster

Ragnarok (start-ragnarok.bat / .sh)

start ShooterGameServer.exe Ragnarok?SessionName=MyCluster-Ragnarok?MaxPlayers=20?Port=7779?QueryPort=27016?RCONPort=27021?ServerPassword=secret?ServerAdminPassword=admin123?ClusterDirOverride=/home/user/ark-cluster/cluster -log -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=MyCluster

Aberration (start-aberration.bat / .sh)

start ShooterGameServer.exe Aberration?SessionName=MyCluster-Aberration?MaxPlayers=20?Port=7781?QueryPort=27017?RCONPort=27022?ServerPassword=secret?ServerAdminPassword=admin123?ClusterDirOverride=/home/user/ark-cluster/cluster -log -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=MyCluster

Important Cluster Parameters:

• ClusterDirOverride: Absolute path to the cluster folder – must be identical for all servers
• -NoTransferFromFiltering: Prevents players from using transfers to bypass filters
• -clusterid: The name of your cluster

Step 5: Open Firewall Ports for All Maps

# The Island
sudo ufw allow 7777/udp
sudo ufw allow 7778/udp
sudo ufw allow 27015/udp

# Ragnarok
sudo ufw allow 7779/udp
sudo ufw allow 7780/udp
sudo ufw allow 27016/udp

# Aberration
sudo ufw allow 7781/udp
sudo ufw allow 7782/udp
sudo ufw allow 27017/udp

Step 6: Start Servers and Test Cluster

1. Start all servers one by one – wait until each is fully loaded
2. Join one server and play for a few minutes
3. Go to an obelisk or supply drop
4. Open the terminal and select "Travel to another server"
5. Your character should now appear on the other map – with all items and dinos

Step 7: Start All Maps with One Batch File (Windows)

@echo off
echo Starting The Island...
start "ARK-Island" ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?SessionName=MyCluster-Island?MaxPlayers=20?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?ClusterDirOverride=C:\ark-cluster\cluster -log -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=MyCluster

timeout /t 10 /nobreak

echo Starting Ragnarok...
start "ARK-Ragnarok" ShooterGameServer.exe Ragnarok?SessionName=MyCluster-Ragnarok?MaxPlayers=20?Port=7779?QueryPort=27016?ClusterDirOverride=C:\ark-cluster\cluster -log -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=MyCluster

timeout /t 10 /nobreak

echo Starting Aberration...
start "ARK-Aberration" ShooterGameServer.exe Aberration?SessionName=MyCluster-Aberration?MaxPlayers=20?Port=7781?QueryPort=27017?ClusterDirOverride=C:\ark-cluster\cluster -log -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=MyCluster

echo All servers started!

The timeout gives each server 10 seconds to initialize before the next one starts.

Common Problems

Transfer not working – "No sessions found":

• Are all servers started with the same ClusterDirOverride?
• Are all servers started with the same ClusterID?
• Check if the cluster folder is readable and writable by all server processes

Player loses items during transfer:

• This happens when the cluster folder is not configured correctly
• Make sure all servers access the same physical folder
• The path must be absolute, not relative

Server overloaded with multiple maps:

• Each map needs its own CPU cores – don't assign all maps to the same cores
• RAM usage adds up – plan at least 32 GB RAM for 3 maps
• SSD is mandatory – multiple maps on HDD are unplayable

Players cannot travel between servers:

• All servers must have the same mods installed
• All servers must have the same settings (taming speed, XP rate, etc.)
• Travel is only possible via obelisks and supply drops

Quick Checklist

1. Folder structure with shared cluster folder created
2. Unique ports assigned for each map
3. clustersettings.ini created with ClusterDir, ClusterID and ClusterKey
4. Startup script with ClusterDirOverride created for each map
5. All ports opened in firewall
6. All servers started and transfer tested