Hello I'm having problems with inviting my friends to a non-dedicated on Ark: survival...

My friends haven’t been able to join me on ARK Survival Evolved (Non-Dedicated Session), Astroneer, Kingdom Two Crowns and there may be others I don’t remember.

The weird thing is that sometimes they can join me on those games and other times they can’t and it says “Failed to Connect”.

I'm running a non dedicated server from my computer and it's not ARK that's giving me the issue it's the app. I can connect to other games that are hosted from on dedicated servers but am unable to connect to instances created by friends and vice versa

Hi Zoona, my name is Jhon, and will be a pleasure help you

Inviting friends to a non-dedicated server in Ark: Survival Evolved on Xbox can be tricky, but fear not! Here are some troubleshooting steps you can try:

Make sure your server is visible:

Open Ark on Xbox and create a non-dedicated server.
In the server settings, ensure "Enable LAN play" and "Show my server to the public" are both checked.
Set a server name and password (optional, but helpful for identifying your server).

Double-check your friend's connection:

Ask your friend to search for servers in the "LAN" tab, not the regular server list.
Verify they have downloaded all Ark updates and DLC (if applicable).
Ensure their Xbox network settings are open to LAN play.

Try alternative invite methods:

From the pause menu within your Ark game, navigate to the "Players" tab.
If your friend's gamertag appears, try inviting them directly from there.
If your friend is online on Xbox Live, try inviting them through the Xbox party menu.

Restart the game and console:

Sometimes, a simple restart can resolve networking issues.
Close Ark and fully power down your Xbox One or Series X/S.
Wait a few minutes, then turn everything back on and try again.

Network troubleshooting:

Ensure your internet connection is stable and functioning properly.
Consider restarting your router or modem to refresh the connection.
If using Wi-Fi, try switching to a wired connection for better stability.

For your reference, I've included some links where you can find more details about the solutions I suggested

https://gamertweak.com/play-with-friends-ark-survival-ascended/

Note: This is a non-Microsoft website. The page appears to be providing accurate, safe information. Watch out for ads on the site that may advertise products frequently classified as a PUP (Potentially Unwanted Products). Thoroughly research any product advertised on the site before you decide to download and install it.

I hope this helps! Don't hesitate to ask if you have any further questions or need additional clarification.

Hi Julian,

Welcome to Microsoft Community.

I'm Hahn and I'm here to help you with your concern.

I'm sorry to hear that you're having trouble hosting a non-dedicated server in Ark: Survival Ascended. There are a few possible reasons why your friends cannot join your server, such as:

- Your server is not configured properly for crossplay. According to the official wiki, crossplay is only supported between Steam and Epic Games Store versions of the game, and between Xbox and Windows Store versions of the game. You cannot crossplay between PC and Xbox if you have different versions of the game. Dedicated server setup - ARK Official Community Wiki

Disclaimer: Microsoft provides no assurances and/or warranties, implied or otherwise, and is not responsible for the information you receive from the third-party linked sites or any support related to technology.

- Your server is not using the correct ports for crossplay. According to a guide on port forwarding, you need to open the following ports on your router and firewall for Ark: Survival Ascended:

- Steam TCP: 27015, 27036

- Steam UDP: 27015, 27031-27036

- Xbox TCP: 3074

- Xbox UDP: 88, 500, 3074, 3544, 4500

- Your server is not visible to your friends or the public. You need to set a server name and password for your non-dedicated server, and share it with your friends. You also need to enable the option "Show my server to the public" in the server settings. Alternatively, you can invite your friends directly from the game menu or the Steam overlay.

I hope this helps you solve your problem and enjoy the game with your friends. Have a great day!

Your Sincerely

| Microsoft Community Support Specialist

Here is a "how to" article about creating dedicated servers for Ark. How to Host an ARK: Survival Evolved Dedicated Server

Let me know if this was of any assistance.