How to add CurseForge mods to an ARK: Survival Ascended server without breaking it

Your ARK: Survival Ascended server crashes or won't come up after you add or update a CurseForge mod, and you can't tell which mod did it. ASA has no way to try a mod list before your live world loads it, and it buries each mod's status in a log. RCON Hub fixes it: its ASA Manager runs a test boot on its own save folder first, keeps your list in load order and shows what the log says about each mod.

Why mods break on ASA

ASA servers load mods from CurseForge by project id. The server downloads them when it starts, and a restart picks up updates. That sounds easy until something goes wrong.

The manual way looks like this:

• Look up each mod's project id on the CurseForge site.
• Edit the launch line or ActiveMods by hand, in the right order.
• Restart the live server and hope it comes back.
• Dig through ShooterGame.log to guess which mod failed.
• Do it again every time a mod or the game updates.

Every guess costs your players a restart, and a broken boot on your real world is the last thing you want.

What the game and other tools leave out

• No name search. The server only takes numeric CurseForge project ids. ASA Manager lets you Search CurseForge by name and shows each mod's name and newest file.
• No dry run. The game only tells you a mod is bad by failing to boot your real world. ASA Manager's test boot starts the server once with your list on other ports and its own save folder.
• No per-mod status. Downloads, updates and failures are just lines in ShooterGame.log. ASA Manager shows each mod as Loaded, Updated this start, Downloading or Failed, with the failing line.
• No crash reason. When the server dies, it simply stops. ASA Manager reads the end of the log, names the likely cause, a mod included, and shows what changed since the last good start.
• No update notice. The server grabs a mod's newest file at the next restart and never tells you one is out. ASA Manager checks for updates and can warn players, then restart.

How RCON Hub fixes it

ASA Manager puts the mod work on one Mods page. Add mods, reorder them with Load earlier and Load later, run a test boot, then go live and watch each mod's status. The Server page covers crashes and restart rules.

Step-by-step setup

1. Install RCON Hub. Download it from rconhub.gg and run the installer. It's free for Windows 10 and 11.
2. Add the ARK: Survival Ascended game pack. Open RCON Hub. On Your games, click Add game, pick ARK: Survival Ascended and click Install.
3. Add your server. On the Servers page, choose A server on this PC. Paste your folder under Already have the ASA server? Its folder (optional), or leave it empty and the free ASA server is downloaded from Steam (about 15 GB). Click Add.
4. Add your CurseForge key. Open the Mods page. Get a free API key on console.curseforge.com, paste it into the CurseForge API key box and click Save the key. It's kept encrypted on this PC and works for every server.
5. Add mods. Type a name into Search CurseForge and click Search, then Add. Or paste a CurseForge project id and click Add. The first mod loads first. Use the arrows to change the order.
6. Run a test boot. With the server stopped, click Run a test boot under Test boot. It passes, or lists the mods that failed.
7. Go live. On the Server page, click Start server. Back on Mods, each mod shows its status from the log.
8. Handle updates. Click Check for updates, and look for the Update out badge. To restart for updates on its own, open Restart rules… on the Server page and tick Restart when a CurseForge mod has an update (with the countdown).

Players stuck on a missing mod? Copy the message under For players who can't join, or click Post to Discord to share your list.

Is it safe?

Yes.

• It runs locally. RCON Hub and ASA Manager run on your own Windows PC and talk to your server over standard Source RCON.
• No injection. RCON Hub never touches the game client or your players' games. There's nothing for anti-cheat to flag, so it won't get anyone banned.
• Your secrets stay put. Your CurseForge key, RCON passwords and panel keys are stored encrypted on your PC and never shown again.

It's beta software. Back up your server's settings and saves before you change things.

Test your mods before your players do

A bad mod should fail on a test boot, not on your live world. Download RCON Hub, add the ASA pack, and mod your server with confidence.

Download RCON Hub 0.3.13 More guides