Alright, thanks for the detailed info! Seems like the server itself is running smoothly locally. Let’s tackle the next step, focusing on external connectivity.
Step 4: Port Forwarding Verification
Please ensure that the following steps are accurately followed in your Sophos Firewall setup:
- Forward Ports: Check that the ports your ARK server uses (default: 7777 for game traffic, 27015 for Steam) are forwarded to the correct local IP address of your ARK server machine.
- Protocol Setup: Make sure both TCP and UDP are selected for these ports.
- Test Open Ports: Use an online tool to check if the required ports are open. Websites like canyouseeme.org can be helpful. Enter the ports one by one to check.
Step 5: Double-Check Static IP
Ensure the local machine running the server has a static IP address within your network. Changing IP addresses could throw off port forwarding.
Step 6: Connection Test using External IP
- Ask a friend or use a different network (like mobile data) to ping your external IP and see if the ports are reachable.
- Try connecting to your server using the external IP address from ARK: Survival Evolved.
Let’s narrow it down step by step - let me know how the port forwarding tests go! 
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