Requirements
The computer, cable, and USB stick you need before you set up your server.
On this page
This page lists what you need before you start setting up your server.
A spare computer
You need a laptop or desktop you can leave powered on. It becomes your server, so don’t use the one you game on day to day.
Setting it up wipes the drive and installs Ubuntu in place of whatever is on it now. Don’t use a computer with files you want to keep.
What each game needs
Memory (RAM) is the number that matters most. The table shows what one running map or world uses, and the disk space the game needs:
| Game | Memory per map or world | Disk space |
|---|---|---|
| ARK: Survival Ascended | 10 GB on most maps, 20 GB on Lost Colony | 40 GB |
| ARK: Survival Evolved | 5 to 8 GB, depending on the map | 20 GB |
| Palworld | 6 GB | 15 GB |
| Minecraft: Java Edition | About 4 GB, and 10 GB or more for a big modpack | 3 GB, growing as players explore |
| Minecraft (Bedrock Edition) | 1 to 2 GB | 2 GB |
Add up every map or world you plan to run at the same time, then add about 2 GB for Ubuntu itself. One ASA map on The Island needs about 12 GB in total, so a 16 GB computer runs it with room to spare.
Before a server starts, the dashboard checks it fits in the spare computer’s memory. If it won’t, you get a warning and can choose whether to start it anyway.
Any processor with at least 4 cores from the last several years runs these games. For ARK and Minecraft, faster cores help more than extra cores. Use an SSD rather than a spinning hard drive, because ARK in particular loads and saves slowly on one.
A wired internet connection
The spare computer has to be plugged into your router with an ethernet cable. WiFi drops and delays data more often than a cable, and your friends feel that as lag and disconnects.
We don’t support running a server over WiFi. If the computer sits far from the router, get a long cable before you start.
A USB stick
You need a USB stick with at least 8 GB of space to install Ubuntu. Installing erases everything on it, so use a spare or back it up first.
Another computer
You need a working computer to download Ubuntu and copy it onto the USB stick. Your normal computer works, and so does the spare computer before you wipe it.
Keep your normal computer or a phone nearby once you start, so you can read these steps while you work on the spare computer.
About half an hour
The first-time setup takes about half an hour, and most of it is waiting on downloads. After that, you manage everything from your dashboard.