There are three ways to play ARK with friends. Only two work for "exclusive LAN."
Before we dive into the setup process, make sure you and your friends have the following:
If the server does not broadcast automatically, clients can connect via Direct Connect.
Now that you've set up your LAN server, it's time to dive into the game!
This is the most common setup for a college dorm or a living room.
: Increase the Non-Dedicated Host Tether Distance to a high value (like 99.0 or 999.0) so your friends aren't forced to stay right next to you. Dedicated LAN Server (Best Performance) : Go to the Host/Local menu. Select your map and click Run Dedicated Server .
Playing ARK: Survival Evolved via a Local Area Network (LAN) is the best way to enjoy low-latency dinosaur taming with friends in the same house without relying on public servers. You can set this up through a simple or a more robust Dedicated LAN Server . Method 1: Hosting a Non-Dedicated LAN Session