Terraria in multiplayer is a different game than singleplayer. Exploring biomes together, fighting the same boss and admiring each other's builds brings the game to life. A dedicated server makes it possible without anyone having to act as the host.
Vanilla vs TShock
- Vanilla: the official server from Re-Logic. No mods, no plugins, no extra features. Fine for a small group that just wants the base game.
- TShock: a modded server with built-in anti-cheat, permissions, region protection and plugin support. Recommended for larger groups or public servers.
Starting the server
- Select Terraria in the game panel and choose either Vanilla or TShock.
- Set the world size: Small (4200x1200), Medium (6400x1800) or Large (8400x2400). For 4 to 8 players, Medium is the best choice.
- Choose the difficulty: Classic, Expert or Master. Expert and Master give better drops but are significantly harder.
- Set a password if you want to restrict access.
- Start the server. The world is generated on the first launch.
Connecting
In Terraria: click "Multiplayer", then "Join via IP". Enter the server IP address and the port (default 7777).
Server settings
Configuration lives in serverconfig.txt (Vanilla) or is managed through TShock commands:
- maxplayers: defaults to 8. Terraria supports up to 255, but above 16 things get chaotic.
- difficulty: 0 = Classic, 1 = Expert, 2 = Master, 3 = Journey.
- secure: anti-cheat enforcement. Set to 1 with TShock.
- motd: the message players see when they join.
TShock plugins
TShock supports plugins for extra functionality:
- Region Protection: protect areas from griefing (built into TShock).
- InfiniteChests: stores chests in a database instead of in the world file, preventing corruption when you have many chests.
- WorldEdit: edit large areas using commands instead of placing blocks by hand.
Plugins go in the ServerPlugins/ folder. Restart the server after adding new ones.
How much RAM
Terraria is lightweight compared to most game servers:
- Small world, 4 players: 512 MB to 1 GB
- Large world, 8 players: 1 to 2 GB
- Large world, 16 players with TShock: 2 to 3 GB
Even a small hosting plan handles Terraria comfortably.
tModLoader for mods
If you want mods (Calamity, Thorium, Overhaul), you need tModLoader instead of the regular Terraria server. tModLoader is a separate Steam application. Install the tModLoader dedicated server, add mods through the Mod Browser and make sure every player has the same mods installed on their client.
Common mistakes
- Wrong port: Terraria uses port 7777 by default. Make sure it is open in your firewall and in the panel's port allocation.
- Version mismatch: the server and client versions must match exactly. If a player just updated their game and the server has not, they cannot connect.
- Forgetting the password: without a password on a public IP, anyone can join. Set one if the server is meant to be private.
Can I upload my singleplayer world?
Yes. The world file is in Documents/My Games/Terraria/Worlds/ on Windows. Upload the .wld file to the server via SFTP and set it as the active world.
Does crossplay work between Steam and GOG?
Yes. Terraria servers are platform-independent. Steam and GOG players can join the same server. Mobile and console players cannot connect to a PC server.
Can I switch from Vanilla to TShock later?
Yes. Your world file is compatible. Install TShock, point it at the existing world and you keep all your progress. The only change is that TShock adds its own configuration and permissions system on top.
Terraria runs perfectly on a small game server plan or a KVM VPS.
