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For a one-off session, choose Multiplayer → Host & Play. If the world must remain available after the host leaves the game, use Terraria’s dedicated server on a computer or a compatible hosted server. Modded worlds follow a separate tModLoader path, and every player must use the same enabled mods, versions, and load order.
This is a PC-oriented guide. Terraria’s crossplay work is still evolving in 2026, so verify the current game version, server build, and platform support before promising that a console, mobile, or PC player can join the same server.
Choose the right Terraria hosting method
The best method depends on whether you need a temporary session or an always-available world, and whether the world is vanilla or modded.
| Method | Best for | What happens when the host leaves? | Main trade-off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host & Play | A small group playing while one person is in Terraria | The session depends on the host’s game session and normally ends when that session closes. | Fastest setup, but it is not an independent server. |
| Vanilla dedicated server | A shared, unmodded world that should run independently of a player’s game | The server process can continue while players come and go. | You must install, start, secure, update, and back up the server. |
| tModLoader Host & Play | A modded session where the host is present | Availability follows the host’s tModLoader game session. | Easy compared with a dedicated process, but every player needs a matching mod setup. |
| tModLoader dedicated server | A persistent modded world | The server can stay online independently of an individual player. | More administration, including mod versions, load order, and compatibility checks. |
| Rented game server or VPS | An always-on world when you do not want to manage a home computer or router | Usually independent of your personal game session, subject to the provider’s service. | It is a paid service with provider-specific controls, support, version timing, and mod policies. |
There is no substantiated universal player-count, CPU, memory, or bandwidth minimum in the available documentation. Use a computer that can run the selected server build reliably, then watch its actual CPU, memory, storage, and network behavior as your world and player group grow rather than treating an invented specification as an official requirement.
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Decide vanilla or modded before installing anything
Vanilla Terraria
Vanilla means the unmodified game. The standard Terraria dedicated-server program is the appropriate route. A Windows Terraria installation includes a dedicated-server executable, and an official server download is also available. Use the current release rather than copying an old, version-specific walkthrough.
tModLoader
Gameplay mods require the tModLoader path, not the ordinary vanilla server executable. You can run tModLoader through Host & Play for a session-based game or use a tModLoader dedicated server for a persistent world. The server and every connecting client must agree on the enabled mods, each mod’s version, and the load order.
Check versions and platforms first
Write down the Terraria version, the server version, and, for a modded setup, the tModLoader release and mod versions you intend to use. A client that updates ahead of the server can fail to connect even when the address and password are correct. Platform labels also matter: this procedure describes PC-oriented hosting and should not be presented as a universal console or mobile-server procedure.
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Host & Play is the practical answer when everyone is playing together and nobody needs the world to continue after the host exits.
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- Open Terraria and select Multiplayer, then choose Host & Play.
- Select an existing character or create one, then select the world you want to host. If you need a new world, create it before or during the world-selection flow presented by the current game build.
- Set the session options shown by the game, including a password if you do not want an open session.
- Invite friends through the available Steam flow when your platform and installation support it. If the session is configured for direct connections, give invited players the address and connection details shown by your setup.
- Keep Terraria running while friends play. If the host closes the game or the host’s connection drops, the session is no longer an independent world process.
This route avoids the administration involved in a dedicated process, but it does not solve the availability problem. If players need to log in while the owner is away, move to a dedicated server or a hosted option instead of leaving one person’s game open indefinitely.
Run a vanilla dedicated server on your own computer
Install the current server software
- Obtain the dedicated-server program from the current Terraria installation or the official server-download path. Do not rely on an executable copied from a different game release.
- Launch the server program. Follow its current prompts for the world, maximum players, listening port, and password. The exact prompt order can change between releases.
- Choose an existing world or create one when prompted. Record which world file the server uses so that you back up the correct file later.
- Complete the startup process and leave the server process running. A dedicated server is separate from the normal Terraria game window; players connect to it rather than joining a host’s in-game session.
Before exposing the server to the internet, test it from the same computer or local network if your setup allows. A local test separates a game or world configuration problem from an internet-routing problem.
Allow the server through the host firewall
Your operating system may block unsolicited inbound connections. When the firewall asks whether to allow the server executable, allow the network access required for the networks you actually trust. If you dismissed the prompt, create or edit an inbound rule for the server program and its configured game port. Keep the rule limited to the needed protocol and scope instead of disabling the firewall entirely.
Forward the default port through the router
The Terraria server guide documents TCP port 7777 as the default. For direct internet access, create a router port-forwarding rule that sends that TCP port to the local IP address of the computer running the server. Reserve or otherwise keep that computer’s local address stable; forwarding to a device whose address changes will eventually send players to the wrong machine.
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Router menus differ by manufacturer, so look for labels such as port forwarding, virtual server, or NAT rules. Enter the server computer’s local address, the configured external and internal port, and TCP as the protocol, then save and apply the rule. Do not assume that a saved rule proves the service is reachable: some ISP or managed networks do not permit inbound forwarding. Test from a connection outside the home network rather than relying only on a local test.
Give players the right address
Players on the same local network may use the server computer’s local address. Players elsewhere need the home network’s current public address plus the configured port, unless you use another access method. Do not publish a private local address as though it were an internet address, and do not expose a password-protected world to people who were not meant to join.
What to do when forwarding is unavailable
The Terraria server guidance describes a VPN service as one alternative. Every player must install and use the same VPN software, and they connect through the virtual network rather than your router’s public address. A hosted game server or VPS is another option when you want an always-on world without solving home-router access. For example, Godlike.Host Terraria server hosting comes with a game panel, free DDoS protection, up to three free backups a day with restore, and 24/7 support by live chat or ticket. Check the provider’s current Terraria version, tModLoader support, controls, backup options, and terms before paying; current provider prices are not established here.
Set up a modded server with tModLoader
Use the tModLoader route for both clients and server
Install and launch tModLoader for a modded Host & Play session or a dedicated server. Do not mix a vanilla server process with a modded client and expect the mods to load. A dedicated tModLoader process is the better fit when the world must remain online without the owner playing.
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Make every player’s mod set identical
- Choose the tModLoader release for the world and record it.
- Create a definitive list of enabled mods and their versions. A Workshop collection or a shared written list can reduce omissions, but each player should still confirm the resulting in-game list.
- Match the load order as well as the names and versions. The tModLoader multiplayer guidance specifically treats load order as part of compatibility.
- Start the server with the same intended mod set, then have one client connect before inviting the full group.
- When a mod updates, change the server and every client together, after backing up the world and configuration.
“The mod is installed” is not enough: a disabled mod, a different build, or a different load order can produce a rejection or an apparently unrelated error. When troubleshooting, first export or write down the server’s enabled list and compare it line by line with a client that cannot connect.
Dedicated tModLoader utilities and configuration
tModLoader’s dedicated-server utilities and Docker documentation are version-specific. Use documentation that matches the tModLoader release you actually installed, and verify the upstream project files rather than assuming that an older container or configuration sample still applies. A community repository mirror of a tModLoader server-configuration sample includes settings such as automatic forwarding and Steam-lobby behavior; treat those examples as configuration references, not guarantees for every current build.
Containerizing the server can make repeatable deployment easier for an experienced administrator, but it adds another layer to diagnose: container networking, mounted world storage, permissions, and the tModLoader version must all be correct. If you do not already operate containers, a straightforward dedicated process on a maintained computer is usually easier to troubleshoot.
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Back up before updates and mod changes
Keep copies of the world and the server configuration before Terraria updates, tModLoader updates, mod changes, or migrations to another machine. Store at least one copy outside the live server directory so a failed update or accidental overwrite does not remove both the active world and its only backup. The available documentation supports server configuration and tooling but does not establish a tested backup schedule; choose a schedule that matches how often your group plays and how much progress it can afford to lose.
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Plan updates instead of applying them during play
- Announce a maintenance window and stop the server cleanly.
- Copy the world and configuration to a dated backup location.
- Check that the Terraria server build, client build, tModLoader release, and mod versions are intended to work together.
- Update the server and, for modded play, distribute the same changes to every client.
- Start the server and connect with one test account before reopening it to the whole group.
If a version change breaks connections, restore the known-good server files and world backup rather than repeatedly changing several variables at once.
Limit access
- Use a non-obvious password for private worlds and share it only with the intended group.
- Allow only the required server program and port through the host firewall.
- Keep the operating system, Terraria server, tModLoader, and mods maintained, while checking compatibility before each update.
- Remove old forwarding rules and unused VPN or hosting accounts when you retire a server.
Troubleshoot connection failures by symptom
Nobody can connect, including players on the same network
- Confirm that the dedicated server process is still running and has loaded the intended world.
- Check the server’s configured port and password against what players are entering.
- Review the host firewall rule. A router rule cannot help if the operating system rejects the connection first.
- Test locally before changing internet settings. If local access fails, focus on the server process, world, version, or firewall.
Local players connect, but people outside the home cannot
- Verify that the router forwards the configured TCP port to the correct computer’s current local address.
- Confirm that the external address given to friends is current and that they are not using a private LAN address.
- Check whether the ISP or managed network permits inbound connections. If it does not, use the documented VPN alternative or move the server to a compatible hosted environment.
A modded client is rejected or behaves differently
- Compare Terraria and tModLoader versions first.
- Compare enabled mods, exact mod versions, and load order.
- Temporarily test with a minimal, agreed mod set to identify a conflicting mod, then restore the full set from a known list.
- Do not change the world permanently until you have a backup and know that every player can use the resulting setup.
The world is available only when one person is playing
That behavior is expected from Host & Play. Start a dedicated server process or use a hosted server if the world must be available independently of the host’s game session.
Hosted server or VPS: what to verify
A rented game server or VPS shifts hardware, power, and home-network administration to a provider, but it does not remove the need for version and world management. Before purchasing, ask for current, written answers to the following:
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- Which Terraria release and server build are supported, and how quickly are updates offered?
- Is vanilla dedicated hosting available, and is tModLoader supported for the specific release you plan to run?
- Can you upload an existing world, download backups, and restore a previous version?
- Can you set a password, change the port, view logs, restart the process, and control who has administrative access?
- Where is the server located, what network limitations apply, and what happens during an outage?
- Are mods, Docker images, automatic updates, or custom server configurations restricted by the provider’s terms?
No current provider price or universal uptime figure is established for this guide. Compare the total recurring cost and the amount of administration you are actually avoiding, rather than choosing on a price headline alone.
Crossplay in 2026: verify before making promises
The Terraria community’s September 2026 State of the Game describes ongoing work on crossplay Phase One and continuing fixes related to version 1.4.5.8. That status does not establish that every platform can join every server today. Crossplay depends on the exact game release, platform combination, server implementation, and any current restrictions.
Before inviting console or mobile players to a PC-hosted world, check the latest official announcement and the platform-specific support for the current release. If you cannot verify the combination, describe the server as PC-only rather than promising universal cross-platform access. Do not assume that a successful PC connection proves console or mobile compatibility.
A practical decision checklist
- Choose Host & Play when the group plays together and the host can remain in the session.
- Choose a vanilla dedicated server when the world should continue independently and no gameplay mods are required.
- Choose tModLoader Host & Play for a temporary modded session with a coordinated mod list.
- Choose a tModLoader dedicated server for a persistent modded world and accept the extra version and load-order administration.
- Choose a hosted server or VPS when home-router access, power availability, or day-to-day server maintenance is the limiting factor.
- Before opening access, confirm the current version, firewall rule, configured port, router or VPN path, password, and a recoverable world backup.
The Bottom Line
In 2026, Host & Play remains the fastest way to start a short Terraria session. A dedicated vanilla or tModLoader server is the right choice for an independent, persistent world; direct home hosting normally requires firewall access and TCP port 7777 forwarding, while a VPN or compatible hosted service can replace that network work. Match every version and mod setting, and verify current platform support before calling a setup crossplay-compatible.
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