[FIXED] Cluster working via "Transmit ARK Data" but not "Travel to another ARK"

[Windsinger]

Solution for working setup here > #comment-1802925

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Cluster working via "Transmit ARK Data" but not "Travel to another ARK"

Hey all,

Problem : See attachment,
Brief explanation: I can transfer ARK survivors/items/dinosaur between the servers I've setup. just the button on the top right doesn't work and shows "No sessions found..."

Machine Setup,
1 machine on a local lan segment with Win10, I7-950, 24GB mem, 128GB SSD for running the 2 cluster servers
1 machine on a local lan segment with Win10, I7-6800K, 32GB mem, GTX1080 for running the ARK client.

Steam install+update (steamcmd.bat)

@echo off
steamcmd.exe +login anonymous PASS +force_install_dir "C:\Steam\ARK" +app_update 376030 validate +quit

Server1 setup "ClusterCookie-TheCenter"

@echo off
C:\Steam\steamcmd.exe +login anonymous PASS +force_install_dir "C:\Steam\ARK" +app_update 376030 +quit
start C:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ShooterGameServer.exe "TheCenter?listen?SessionName=ClusterCookie-TheCenter?ServerPassword=REMOVED?ServerAdminPassword=REMOVED?AltSaveDirectoryName=TheCenter?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?RCONPort=27020?MaxPlayers=127 -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=REMOVED -automanagedmods" 
exit

Server2 setup "ClusterCookie-TheIsland"

@echo off
C:\Steam\steamcmd.exe +login anonymous PASS +force_install_dir "C:\Steam\ARK" +app_update 376030 +quit
start C:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ShooterGameServer.exe "TheIsland?listen?SessionName=ClusterCookie-TheIsland?ServerPassword=REMOVED?ServerAdminPassword=REMOVED?AltSaveDirectoryName=TheIsland?Port=7779?QueryPort=27017?RCONPort=27021?MaxPlayers=127 -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=REMOVED -automanagedmods"
exit

GameUserSettings.ini (showing only lines i've added, rest is default)

[ServerSettings]
...
PreventDownloadSurvivors=False
PreventDownloadItems=False
PreventDownloadDinos=False
PreventUploadSurvivors=False
PreventUploadItems=False
PreventUploadDinos=False
noTributeDownloads=false
...

Firewall config,
Inbound: UDP: 7777, 7778, 7779, 7780, 27015, 27017
Inbound: TCP: 27020, 27021 
Based on other topics : Added Shootergame.exe as allowed application as well


Is it something i'm missing?

[Windsinger]

Added some info in regards the network location. since i know servers like this can and will perform different in certain LAN vs dedicated server situations.
For clarification, in the local LAN or Unofficial browser i can find the server perfectly fine and can login without problems.

If people would like any more info please or have a question, please let me know.

Thing i've tried to adjust so far,
- Move the " marks in the batch file, just after the UE4 paramenters and not after the -command structure [no change]
- Added the ?bRawSockets [no change]
- Specified different Rconports for each session [no change]
- Instead of 1 directory, create 2 seperate dirs, for each server one and make a shared cluster folder. [no change]

Things i'm still going to test,
- Suggestions welcome!

[Gumballz]

Check your server filters when you load up ARK... If you have PVE flagged and its a PVP server.. or visa versa .. same for maps

If server is PW protected, check the box in bottom left

[Windsinger]

5 hours ago, Gumballz said:

Check your server filters when you load up ARK... If you have PVE flagged and its a PVP server.. or visa versa .. same for maps

If server is PW protected, check the box in bottom left

@Gumballz, thank you for your reply, i've checked all the items you've mentioned.

The server itself is setup as a PvE system.

Other things i've tested/adjusted to test.
- Disabled server password
- I've double check and set the filters to show all types + maps in the main menu.
- Logged in to the server.
- On the terminal it does not allow me to set any options to where it's PvE/PvP but i've set that earlier.
- Check all the boxes below too, no change, it keeps saying after a few seconds "No sessions found!"

 

[Windsinger]

Did the a new test with 2 seperate dirs + 2 seperate configs, same issue.

Any suggestions are welcome. It has to be something simple/trivial that I've forgotten considering it's a default install of windows / steam / ARK with no special config apart from being a PvE server and the settings listed above. 

[Sly]

Having the same issue.

[Gumballz]

@Windsinger 

Quote

Inbound: UDP: 7777, 7778, 7779, 7780, 27015, 27017
Inbound: TCP: 27020, 27021 

Try putting a wider gap in your server ports.

Server 1 : 7777,7778, 27015 @ 27020

server 2. 7787 7788 20125 @ 27025

Are both servers showing in ARK's menu, just not in Game ?

Even though you can upload ... can you then download those items when you go to the other server ?

 

[Windsinger]

1 minute ago, Gumballz said:

@Windsinger 

Try putting a wider gap in your server ports.

Server 1 : 7777,7778, 27015 @ 27020

server 2. 7787 7788 20125 @ 27025

Are both servers showing in ARK's menu, just not in Game ?

Even though you can upload ... can you then download those items when you go to the other server ?

 

I'll test the wider port setting, will get back on this!

Yes, both servers are showing in the game menu.
Both upload and download are working (both ways).

[Sly]

Any luck? Widening ports didn't work for me. I'm starting to just think it's something to do with my private server not being accessible via the external internet. 

[EmpireDYF]

I know this thread is a few months old but it looks like a solution still hasn't been reached no matter where I look

The Island Command Line

ShooterGameServer.exe "TheIsland?SessionName=xxxx TheIsland?ServerPassword=xxxx?AltSaveDirectoryName=Save1?PreventDiseases=true?ServerAdminPassword=xxxxx?MaxPlayers=10?AllowRaidDinoFeeding=true?Port=7777?GameModIds=510590313,633215081,764755314,742077869?QueryPort=27015? -NoBattlEye -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=xxxxxxx"

Ragnarok Command Line

ShooterGameServer.exe "Ragnarok?SessionName=xxxx Ragnarok?ServerPassword=xxxx?AltSaveDirectoryName=Save2?PreventDiseases=true?ServerAdminPassword=xxxxx?MaxPlayers=10?AllowRaidDinoFeeding=true?Port=7779?GameModIds=510590313,633215081,764755314,742077869?QueryPort=27017? -NoBattlEye -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=xxxxxxxx"

GameUserSettings.ini
[ServerSettings]

noTributeDownloads=False
PreventDownloadSurvivors=False
PreventDownloadItems=False
PreventDownloadDinos=False
PreventUploadSurvivors=False
PreventUploadItems=False
PreventUploadDinos=False

The issue

Both servers show on the server list but when in game on either server and I hit "Travel to another ARK" it gives me "No Sessions Found!" even after making sure that the filter in the main menu matches after I join in-game. Dinos and items are confirmed to transfer just fine between both worlds.

I am doing Method 1 of the Cluster setup guide, where they share a similar game.ini / GameUserSettings. Both of these command lines run on the same machine and successfully host while I play on my own machine.

I am also able to join each individual server and play around on them normally with saves working.

Things I've attempted with no success:
1. Widening the port range and changing server ports and allowances
2. Adding ShooterGame.exe / ShooterGameServer.exe as Firewall allowances server-side
3. Joining and testing every type of filter (ARK, SE, ARK + SE, PVP, PVE, PVP+PVE)
4. Ticking "Show Password Protected" in-game after each test. (Both servers have the same password)
5. Trying to join the server via "My Survivors" and "Favorites"
6. Moving quotations around on the command lines.
7. Verifying integrity of Steam Cache.
8. Cleaning out old mods and ensuring that they are sync'd
9. Creating a survivor on both servers.
10. Transferring from TheIsland Obelisk > Ragnarok, Ragnarok Obelisk > Island (Both say 'Sessions not Found!', but dinos/items are fine)

 

Something I've noticed is that it defaults back to "Unofficial servers" list when I Exit To Menu

[VIKAS]

Hello I don't know if you have found the solution for your problem.

It seems that your conf is OK, if you have make the symlinks between the <clusteridname> folder that appears in the first map accesed across the other savegame routes (point that to the other server savegame).

If you don't wanna mess with symlinks add -ClusterDirOverride=C:\<path> and that (C:\<path>) must be visible and accesible for both servers.

Try it, and tell us if it works.

Regards.

[EmpireDYF]

Thanks a lot for the reply,

I gave it a shot and adjusted both command lines to include -ClusterDirOverride=C:\ARKSTORAGE and it looks like nothing has changed :(, though a folder did create itself inside of that directory structured as clusters\{clustername}\765xxxxxxxxxxx (Steam ID) 

[VIKAS]

Hello another time,

That test says that the cluster system is working, I have not asked to you but reviewing your command line you write Serverpassword=xxxx?

I don't know how to make it work if any of the servers of the cluster has password. If only you and your friends want to join you could use the "ExclusiveJoin" mode of the server (you made a .txt put in it the SteamID of the people that should access the servers (it has to be put on bot server folders) and only them would access it.

But the important thing, I have not made it work when the server has password.

Try without it, and see if it works. It really seems to be working because it has created the <clustername> folder inside the "ARKSTORAGE" and put in them the <steamid> interchange file for the steam account that was trasnferring.

I'm sorry to not being able to help you more with this.

Best luck.

Regards.

[EmpireDYF]

I went ahead and set up the whitelist,

The command line now appears as the following;

start ShooterGameServer.exe "TheIsland?SessionName=xxxTheIsland?AltSaveDirectoryName=Save1?PreventDiseases=true?ServerAdminPassword=xxx?MaxPlayers=10?AllowRaidDinoFeeding=true?Port=7777?GameModIds=510590313,633215081,764755314,742077869?QueryPort=27015?" -ClusterDirOverride=C:\ARKSTORAGE -exclusivejoin -NoBattlEye -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=c######

#= Random numbers
xxx= omitted

GameUserSettings.ini

noTributeDownloads=False
PreventDownloadSurvivors=False
PreventDownloadItems=False
PreventDownloadDinos=False
PreventUploadSurvivors=False
PreventUploadItems=False
PreventUploadDinos=False

Whitelist is tested and working fine, but I am still not able to cross-travel from TheIsland -> Ragnarok vice versa

Thank you for the help so far, I feel like I'm getting closer to the one thing getting in the way.

[VIKAS]

Tomorrow I will try to make a similar setup (The Island and Ragnarok) I will test it and let you know, if I am able to do it with that two maps (specially ragnarok)

I'll imagine that when you say whitelisting you refer to the PlayersJoinNoCheckList.txt yesterday i did not remember the name of the file. 

Don't worry too much about the cluster setup, when all of it started I think that I lost nearly 3 weeks doing test (the information of the symlinks where not accesible, also the parameter -clusterdiroverride doesn't existe so... it was a little difficult to set up it properly.

But I'm also reading one thing that worries me a little more is that Ragnarok in a recent patch has created another folder inside the "normal" path for saves and profiles in ark servers called ragnarok, inside of it is where it stores de .ark, .profile, .tribe.

I think that if that has not been taken into account it could make problems, because the Cross-ARK system tries to save in a folder that is not correct (saving in Saved/savedgames insted of Saved/savedgames/ragnarok or the other way, the game try to read from that "new" folder Ragnarok but your profile is not stored in there.

I will try tomorrow and let you know, but if both servers are visible and accesible from internet and the see each other when you touch the obelisk or supply-crate there is no reason to one button to work and not the other so I will try it because I now I'm very curious about it.

I will try opening it all, no -exclusivejoin and no password at all, because for november of 2016 the exclusivejoin gave problems with the cross-ark so it's better to try it first opened and after testing it works, only then, begin to secure it.

Best luck and if you made it works tell the problem, it will sure help others.

Regards.

[VIKAS]

OK, I have try to setup a simple "TheIsland" + "Ragnarok" Cross-ARK.

I make two installations one folder for each server in order to avoid locked files or other kind of problems.

Opened the ports for both servers, and made sure that my local IP don't get changed when the computer restart.

After that started the servers and let it run a little, do a save, stop them and restart them again (When I launch them the first time it nevers catch the session name that i have specified for them  ). After that I let them run for about 10 - 15 minutes and then logged into TheIsland

My launch line looks like:

C:\XXX\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ShooterGameServer.exe TheIsland?listen?Port=XXXX?QueryPort=XXXXX?MaxPlayers=XX?AllowCrateSpawnsOnTopOfStructures=True -ForceAllowCaveFlyers -AutoDestroyStructures -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=XXXX -ClusterDirOverride="C:\XXX" -UseBattlEye -useallavailablecores -usecache -nosteamclient -game -server -log

The other server launch line looks like:

C:\XXX2\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ShooterGameServer.exe Ragnarok?listen?Port=XXXX?QueryPort=XXXXX?MaxPlayers=XX?AllowCrateSpawnsOnTopOfStructures=True -ForceAllowCaveFlyers -AutoDestroyStructures -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=XXXX -ClusterDirOverride="C:\XXX" -UseBattlEye -useallavailablecores -usecache -nosteamclient -game -server -log

I have go to the Island teleported to obelisk and traveled to Ragnarok. Once in there I teleported to the same coords which are near the green Ragnarok obelisk and teleported way back to the Island.

Using the button that you talk about, and using the old method of uploading and downloading in the other map.

I don't know what more to say, both servers are in the same working disk. 

Good luck.

[Toni]

On 1.3.2017 at 1:29 AM, Windsinger said:

Cluster working via "Transmit ARK Data" but not "Travel to another ARK"

Hey all,

Problem : See attachment,
Brief explanation: I can transfer ARK survivors/items/dinosaur between the servers I've setup. just the button on the top right doesn't work and shows "No sessions found..."

Machine Setup,
1 machine on a local lan segment with Win10, I7-950, 24GB mem, 128GB SSD for running the 2 cluster servers
1 machine on a local lan segment with Win10, I7-6800K, 32GB mem, GTX1080 for running the ARK client.

Steam install+update (steamcmd.bat)

@echo off
steamcmd.exe +login anonymous PASS +force_install_dir "C:\Steam\ARK" +app_update 376030 validate +quit

Server1 setup "ClusterCookie-TheCenter"

@echo off
C:\Steam\steamcmd.exe +login anonymous PASS +force_install_dir "C:\Steam\ARK" +app_update 376030 +quit
start C:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ShooterGameServer.exe "TheCenter?listen?SessionName=ClusterCookie-TheCenter?ServerPassword=REMOVED?ServerAdminPassword=REMOVED?AltSaveDirectoryName=TheCenter?Port=7777?QueryPort=27015?RCONPort=27020?MaxPlayers=127 -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=REMOVED -automanagedmods" 
exit

Server2 setup "ClusterCookie-TheIsland"

@echo off
C:\Steam\steamcmd.exe +login anonymous PASS +force_install_dir "C:\Steam\ARK" +app_update 376030 +quit
start C:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ShooterGameServer.exe "TheIsland?listen?SessionName=ClusterCookie-TheIsland?ServerPassword=REMOVED?ServerAdminPassword=REMOVED?AltSaveDirectoryName=TheIsland?Port=7779?QueryPort=27017?RCONPort=27021?MaxPlayers=127 -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=REMOVED -automanagedmods"
exit

GameUserSettings.ini (showing only lines i've added, rest is default)

[ServerSettings]
...
PreventDownloadSurvivors=False
PreventDownloadItems=False
PreventDownloadDinos=False
PreventUploadSurvivors=False
PreventUploadItems=False
PreventUploadDinos=False
noTributeDownloads=false
...

Firewall config,
Inbound: UDP: 7777, 7778, 7779, 7780, 27015, 27017
Inbound: TCP: 27020, 27021 
Based on other topics : Added Shootergame.exe as allowed application as well


Is it something i'm missing?

 

Sounds like your adding your configuration (PreventDownload....) to the wrong file (Clustered servers has saved the config files in an other folder).

I think your configuration is located here:

c:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Config\...

Instead of where it should be for cluster configs:

c:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\...

 

If your using non clustered servers, then the Config folder is outside of the Saved folder. If your using clustered servers, then the Config folder is inside the Saved Folder.

 

All the other setup seems to be fine...so i think thats your problem.

[Xenithar]

Same issue here. Just setup a cluster. Each one has a unique password and I will not whitelist due to players from an international clan needing access. If the password is the issue, it is a major bug. The worst part is that I cannot even upload my character data. The option is just gone. Something is fishy with clustering, or broken. I have three servers up. Island, Center, SE. Before clustering I could manually move player saves on the server and travel that way. Or I could upload my character data, exit one server, login to another, and download the data.

Also, since I enabled clustering my S+ torches are not turning on at night. Odd.

*UPDATE*

I believe I figured it out! When I go into transfer it searches for "Unofficial" servers in my cluster. It should be searching my LAN, not unofficial. How do I know this? When I clicked JOIN my search settings were set to unofficial. I set it to LAN, joined, quit. Clicked JOIN on the menu again. Still on LAN. Joined my server, did the search for servers in my cluster, quit. Clicked JOIN on the main menu and now I am back on unofficial. That will NEVER work for me. It would make my route to the server go out of my LAN into the WAN and somehow u-turn and come back in. Not sure that's possible. The problem is that there is no option for me to change it to LAN, so it will never return results for my wife and I.

Beyond that, where is the upload button? All I have is a button to transfer which is broken and a button to refresh. If I could upload my player I could leave and join the other server and download. Slower, but it would work. I have not disabled uploads or downloads, so where is my button?

[Xenithar]

On 7/5/2017 at 9:44 AM, Toni said:

 

Sounds like your adding your configuration (PreventDownload....) to the wrong file (Clustered servers has saved the config files in an other folder).

I think your configuration is located here:

c:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Config\...

Instead of where it should be for cluster configs:

c:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\...

 

If your using non clustered servers, then the Config folder is outside of the Saved folder. If your using clustered servers, then the Config folder is inside the Saved Folder.

 

All the other setup seems to be fine...so i think thats your problem.

You are wrong. The config folder outside the saved folder is a set of default configuration files. Single player, listen servers, and dedicated servers all use "Saved/Config" for their configurations. Gamepedia explains this clearly as well. On top of that, if you look in "ARK/ShooterGame/Config", the files are all "DefaultWhatever.ini". These should NOT be modified.

[Toni]

8 hours ago, Xenithar said:

You are wrong. The config folder outside the saved folder is a set of default configuration files. Single player, listen servers, and dedicated servers all use "Saved/Config" for their configurations. Gamepedia explains this clearly as well. On top of that, if you look in "ARK/ShooterGame/Config", the files are all "DefaultWhatever.ini". These should NOT be modified.

His cluster configurations works (Command line parameters). His allowed download/upload settings doesn't work.

The problem the OP has is that his settings aren't loaded. And the most expected reason for that is wrong placed configfiles.

[Xenithar]

Correct, but the location you mentioned is not just cluster configs, that is THE configuration file location, period. Single player? Yes! Listen server? Yes! Dedicated server? Yes! That one location is the only config location.

[Thorium]

OP's problem is not configuration. If he can transfer between them but can't travel it's his router not supporting NAT loopback. Need to get a new router that supports it or get a firmware upgrade if available.

The "travel" option will try to connect to the advertised IP. Which is his public internet IP. If his router does not support NAT loopback it will not be able to route the requests back to the server if they go over the prublic IP.

[HighwaymanEd]

On 7/7/2017 at 9:05 AM, Xenithar said:

I believe I figured it out! When I go into transfer it searches for "Unofficial" servers in my cluster. It should be searching my LAN, not unofficial. How do I know this? When I clicked JOIN my search settings were set to unofficial.

^^ This ^^

 

I've been experiencing the same issue. After reading this thread, I connected my iPhone via USB cable to my Ark Client PC, started the Personal Hotspot on the iPhone and pulled out my Ethernet cable. I then fired up Ark, connected to one of my servers via Favorites, ran to an Obelisk and there were all of the servers in my cluster and I was able to transfer very quickly and easily.

 

After shutting down Ark again and connecting normally, on the next start my server Filter was set to "Unofficial" as Xenithar posted.

[Thorium]

2 hours ago, HighwaymanEd said:

I've been experiencing the same issue. After reading this thread, I connected my iPhone via USB cable to my Ark Client PC, started the Personal Hotspot on the iPhone and pulled out my Ethernet cable. I then fired up Ark, connected to one of my servers via Favorites, ran to an Obelisk and there were all of the servers in my cluster and I was able to transfer very quickly and easily.

Yes, known problem.

You can get around it by enabling NAT loopback on your router or get a router that supports it, if yours does not.

[Windsinger]

WORKING SETUP !  [Verified 2019-07-22]

Example below is a basic working setup
Tested on Windows 10 with basic steamCMD and creating some batch files.

Adjust SessionName, AltSaveDirectory and ClusterID's as you see fit!

Required files:
steamcmd.exe > https://developer.valvesoftware.com/wiki/SteamCMD#Windows

 

# server 1 

@echo off
D:\Steam\steamcmd.exe +login anonymous PASS +force_install_dir "D:\Steam\ARK" +app_update 376030 +quit
start D:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ShooterGameServer.exe "TheIsland?listen?SessionName=Potato1?AltSaveDirectoryName=TheIsland?Port=7781?QueryPort=27001?RCONPort=27011" -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=Potato -automanagedmods
exit

# server 2 

@echo off
D:\Steam\steamcmd.exe +login anonymous PASS +force_install_dir "D:\Steam\ARK" +app_update 376030 +quit
start D:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Binaries\Win64\ShooterGameServer.exe "Ragnarok?listen?SessionName=Potato2?AltSaveDirectoryName=Ragnarok?Port=7782?QueryPort=27002?RCONPort=27012" -NoTransferFromFiltering -clusterid=Potato -automanagedmods
exit

 

In this example configs are loaded from following dir for each server
D:\Steam\ark\ShooterGame\Saved\Config\WindowsServer

Firewall ports:
The only 2 ports that are required are the Port and QueryPort (7781/27001 for server1 and 7782/27002 for server2 in this example).

Note:
People playing from internal LAN should connect using their external IP if their router allows it.