How to Connect

Use this guide when you want to connect to your own ARK: Survival Ascended server. Follow the same flow HaruHost shows in How to connect: make sure the server is reachable first, copy the exact lobby title and optional server password, then finish the join flow inside ARK: Survival Ascended.

Location

• Game Servers → Your Game Server Name → How to connect

Part 1: Make sure the server is reachable

If players cannot join yet, solve reachability first.

The easiest path is Tunnel. HaruHost prepares the connection for you so the server can be reachable over the internet without you having to manually set up port forwarding and firewall rules first.

Step 1: Open your server and start the connection guide

Open your ARK: Survival Ascended server page and use How to connect.

Step 2: Let HaruHost prepare the server for Tunnel

If the server still needs connection prep, HaruHost shows a preparation step inside the guide. This is where HaruHost enables the tunnel path for the current run.

If the server was already running without the tunnel or without the required connection setup, let HaruHost restart the server from the guide so it can finish the preparation cleanly.

Step 3: Copy the ARK lobby values from HaruHost

Once the guide is ready, HaruHost shows the exact values to use:

• Lobby Join Title: the exact value to paste into ARK’s browser search box
• Server Password: only needed if the server actually uses one

If the title looks wrong, verify the server list name in Auto Config before testing again.

If the server uses a password, keep that password ready before joining. If the password field is empty, leave the in-game password-protected filter off.

If the lobby listing still does not work, treat it as a reachability problem. First check that the server shows Online in HaruHost. If the server was started without the tunnel being properly prepared, run the How to connect flow again and let HaruHost restart the server if needed.

Part 2: Join the server

ARK: Survival Ascended uses a lobby join flow here, not a direct IP flow.

Step 1: Press Start

Launch ARK: Survival Ascended and press Enter to reach the main menu.

Step 2: Open Join Game

Select Join Game from the main menu to open the multiplayer browser.

Step 3: Select Unofficial

In the browser, switch to Unofficial first. Do this before changing the other filters.

Step 4: Enable Show Player Servers

Make sure Show Player Servers is checked. This is the key filter for seeing HaruHost player-hosted listings in the browser.

Step 5: Enable the password filter when needed

If this server uses a password, also enable Show Password Protected Servers before refreshing the list. If the server does not use a password, leave this filter off.

Step 6: Paste the Lobby Join Title

Paste the HaruHost Lobby Join Title into the search box exactly as shown. ARK can still show No sessions found immediately after typing it.

Step 7: Press Refresh after typing the title

After the title is in the search box, scroll down and press Refresh so ARK reloads the filtered list.

Step 8: Select the result and join

When the matching server appears, select it from the list and press Join.

Step 9: Wait for the world to load

After the join succeeds, ARK loads your survivor into the world.

Troubleshooting

The server is not reachable from the internet

Use Tunnel as the first fix. That is the main HaruHost advantage here, because it gives you a reliable path without making you manually configure router port forwarding and firewall rules first.

The server is not appearing in the browser

• Check that the server status shows Online in HaruHost.
• Select Unofficial.
• Enable Show Player Servers.
• Enable Show Password Protected Servers only if the server really uses a password.
• Re-copy the exact Lobby Join Title from HaruHost.
• Press Refresh after typing the title because ARK can still show No sessions found until the list is refreshed.
• If you enabled or changed tunnel-related settings while the server was already running, let HaruHost restart the server from the How to connect flow.

The title or password is wrong

• Check Server Title and make sure the saved value matches the title you expect to search for.
• Check Passwords and confirm whether the server really uses a player join password.
• If either value was changed recently, restart the server before testing again.

The server appears but still does not join

• Check that the server status shows Online in HaruHost.
• Keep the exact server password ready if the server uses one.
• Re-run the How to connect flow and let HaruHost finish tunnel preparation if the server was started without it.
• If you use manual firewall and port forwarding instead of the tunnel path, re-check those rules separately.

Summary

The flow is simple:

1. Make sure the server is reachable.
2. Use HaruHost Tunnel first if reachability is the problem.
3. Copy the exact Lobby Join Title from HaruHost.
4. In ARK use Unofficial, Show Player Servers, and Refresh after typing the title.

Related links

• ARK: Survival Ascended guides hub
• ARK: Survival Ascended server manager page
• Server Title
• Passwords