To keep a Terraria world available around the clock, run the dedicated server executable—not Host & Play—on a computer or VPS that remains powered and connected. Save the world and launch settings in a configuration file, keep the process under a service or persistent session, open TCP port 7777 (or your chosen port), and maintain tested backups. A home server normally needs a fixed local address, a firewall rule, and router port forwarding; a non-NAT VPS usually needs only its host firewall opened.
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What a real 24/7 Terraria setup contains
A reliable server is a small system of separate parts. The Terraria dedicated-server process accepts connections and writes changes to a world file. The world file is persistent data; the configuration file tells the process which world, port, player limit, password, and other settings to use. Your operating system, network, and a restart/backup plan keep those pieces available when nobody is watching.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Host & Play is designed around a player’s session. When that host leaves, the session ends. It is therefore unsuitable for a world that friends should enter while the owner is away. Use the dedicated server included with Terraria on Windows, the dedicated-server files on Linux, or a separate VPS/managed host instead.
- Server process: runs continuously and listens for players.
- World file: the saved
.wlddata that must be backed up. - Configuration: a repeatable record of the world path, port, password, slots, and network options.
- Reachable network path: a LAN address and firewall/router rules for a home host, or a permitted port on a data-center host.
- Operations: persistence after an SSH or terminal disconnect, automatic restart, logs, maintenance windows, and off-host backups.
“24/7” describes the operating goal, not a guarantee made by the Terraria executable. Power failures, an ISP outage, a crashed process, maintenance, or a damaged world can still interrupt access. Continuous availability comes from maintaining the whole chain.
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Choose where to host
| Option | What you need | Advantages | Trade-offs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Windows PC | Terraria installation, a machine that stays on, fixed LAN address, firewall rule, and usually router forwarding | Uses hardware you already own; familiar graphical setup | Consumes power, depends on home internet and upload quality, and may be blocked by CGNAT |
| Home Linux machine | Dedicated-server files, command-line utilities, executable permissions, persistent session or service, and the same network steps | Efficient for an always-on mini-PC or spare machine; easy to automate | Requires comfort with SSH, permissions, logs, and distribution-specific packages |
| VPS or managed game host | A compatible Terraria installation, provider firewall rule, and a backup/restart policy you understand | Separate from your gaming PC; data-center networks generally avoid home-router forwarding and CGNAT | Recurring cost and provider-specific limits, versions, backups, and restart behavior |
A VPS or managed host is the cleanest choice when the home computer cannot stay on, your ISP uses carrier-grade NAT (CGNAT), or you want the server isolated from the machine used to play. A data-center connection normally does not require forwarding a port on your home router, but its own firewall still must allow the configured TCP port. Before selecting a provider, verify the Terraria version it supports, whether worlds are backed up, how restarts work, and what happens when the subscription or service is interrupted.
Prepare a configuration file
Typing answers into the interactive server menu after every reboot is error-prone. Put the values in a text file and pass that file to every launch. The exact available options can vary with the server build; keep the file beside your startup script and record any intentional changes.
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world=C:TerrariaServerWorldsfriends.wld
port=7777
maxplayers=8
password=use-a-long-unique-password
motd=Welcome to our world
banlist=C:TerrariaServerbanlist.txt
secure=1
upnp=0worldpoints to the saved world. Use an absolute path when practical so a service cannot accidentally resolve a different working directory.port=7777selects the default TCP port. You may choose another unused TCP port, but players must use the same value and the firewall/forwarding rules must match.maxplayerslimits simultaneous players. Do not confuse this with available memory or a provider’s plan limit.passwordprotects a public endpoint. Use a unique passphrase and share it privately.motdis the message players see when joining.banlistidentifies the file used for bans; keep it in a directory included in backups.secureandupnpshould reflect your network policy. If you do not want the server to request automatic router mapping, leave UPnP disabled and create a deliberate rule instead.
For multiple worlds, create one configuration file, world file, log location, and TCP port per instance. Two processes cannot reliably share the same port, and launching the wrong file can make a world appear to have “reset.”
Set up a Windows server
Locate the dedicated executable
A Terraria installation includes TerrariaServer.exe. Find it in the Terraria installation directory, then create a dedicated folder such as C:TerrariaServer for the configuration, worlds, ban list, logs, and backups. Keeping server data separate from the game’s ordinary client files makes upgrades and backups easier.
Create or select the world
Run TerrariaServer.exe once interactively if you need to create a world or inspect the available worlds. Choose the world, player limit, password, and port. Close the server cleanly, then save the resulting choices in your configuration file so subsequent launches are deterministic.
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Launch with the saved configuration
TerrariaServer.exe -config serverconfig.txtRun that command from the directory containing the executable and configuration, or use absolute paths. The official server guidance also supports a Windows startup batch file. A simple start-server.bat can contain:
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cd /d C:TerrariaServer
TerrariaServer.exe -config serverconfig.txt
For a genuine unattended service, schedule the batch file with Windows Task Scheduler at system startup and configure it to run whether or not a user is logged in. Set a restart-on-failure action, capture standard output to a dated log, and make sure the account has read/write access to the world and backup directories. Test the task by rebooting the machine and joining from another device; do not assume that a successful manual launch proves the startup task uses the same working directory or configuration file.
Allow the process through Windows Firewall
- Start the server once so Windows can identify the executable, or create an inbound rule manually.
- Allow inbound TCP traffic on the configured port (7777 by default) for the appropriate network profile.
- Limit the rule to the profiles and source networks you actually use; avoid opening unrelated ports.
- Confirm the rule points to the server executable or port you launch, not an obsolete copy left by an older installation.
Set up a Linux server
Install and prepare the files
Download the dedicated-server files for the Terraria version your clients will use. Install the basic command-line utilities required by your distribution, unpack the files into a dedicated directory, and make the server binary executable:
chmod +x TerrariaServerThe exact package-manager command for utilities such as a terminal multiplexer differs between distributions, so use the package manager documented by your operating system. Keep the server under a non-root account with ownership of its world, configuration, log, and backup directories.
Launch from a configuration file
./TerrariaServer -config serverconfig.txtUse the same configuration concepts as Windows, with Linux paths such as /srv/terraria/worlds/friends.wld. Confirm that the configured user can create or modify the world and ban-list files. A permission error at startup can look like a missing world, so inspect the path and ownership before generating a replacement.
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Keep it alive after SSH disconnects
Launching directly in an SSH window ties the process to that session. Use a persistent session or a service manager. With a multiplexer, start a named session, launch the server, detach, and later reattach to read the console. A service manager is preferable for unattended operation because it can start at boot, restart after a crash, and send output to the system journal.
tmux new -s terraria
./TerrariaServer -config /srv/terraria/serverconfig.txt
# detach with the tmux detach key sequence
# reconnect later with:
tmux attach -t terrariaIf you use a service unit, configure its working directory, the exact -config path, a restricted service account, a restart policy, and a deliberate stop timeout so the server can save the world. Test a stop/start cycle and inspect logs before inviting players.
Configure the network
The default Terraria server port is TCP 7777. The number is not a magic requirement: changing it is valid, but every client, firewall, and forwarding rule must then use the replacement.
- Reserve a stable LAN address. Create a DHCP reservation on the router for the server’s network adapter, or assign a static address according to your network plan. A forwarding rule aimed at a changing address will eventually point at the wrong device.
- Permit the host firewall. Allow inbound TCP on the configured port. On Linux, add the equivalent rule to the distribution firewall; on Windows, allow the executable or port in Windows Firewall.
- Forward the port at home. On a normal residential NAT connection, map external TCP 7777 to the server’s fixed LAN address and the same internal port. Router menus differ, so record the rule’s protocol, internal address, and port rather than copying a label from another model.
- Skip home forwarding on non-NAT hosting. A VPS or other data-center connection generally has a public address directly on the host. Open the provider’s network firewall/security-group rule for the chosen TCP port instead.
- Give players the right endpoint. Remote players use your public IP address or a DNS name plus the configured port. Players on the same LAN should use the server’s private address; some routers do not support “hairpin” access through the public address.
If your ISP places you behind CGNAT, the router may show a private WAN address and incoming forwarding will not work even when the local rule is perfect. Ask for a public address, move the server to a non-NAT host, or use a private VPN overlay that every participant can install and operate. A VPN changes the connection model: players join the overlay address, and access depends on every member’s VPN client and permissions.
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Use controlled restarts
Keep a written maintenance procedure: announce a shutdown, save or stop the server cleanly, copy the world, replace or upgrade binaries, launch the same configuration, and verify a test connection. Never overwrite a live .wld file while the server is running; that risks a partial write and corruption.
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Capture logs and watch health
Retain console output or service logs with timestamps. Check that the process is listening on the expected port, that the world save time advances, and that the host has free disk space. A lightweight external check can attempt a TCP connection or alert when the process disappears, but an open port alone does not prove that the correct world loaded.
Back up worlds off the host
Keep dated copies of every important .wld file on a different disk or machine. Periodic snapshots protect against accidental deletion; rotating several generations protects against discovering corruption days after it occurred. Include the configuration and ban-list files so a restore reproduces the same rules. Periodically copy a backup back to a temporary directory and verify that it can be opened, rather than trusting a file merely because it exists.
The Terraria server performs automatic world saves. TShock additionally documents controls named AutoSave, SaveWorldOnCrash, SaveWorldOnLastPlayerExit, BackupInterval, and backup-retention settings. Configure those deliberately, but still keep independent off-host copies: an automatic save on the same failing disk is not a backup.
Plan for failure
- Set an automatic restart policy for an unexpected process exit, with a short delay to avoid a crash loop.
- Leave enough disk space for world growth, logs, and several backups.
- Record the Terraria build and any server-side modifications before updating.
- Schedule updates when players are offline and test the exact client/server version combination afterward.
- Keep credentials, router details, and the restore procedure somewhere accessible if the primary administrator is unavailable.
Vanilla Terraria or TShock?
Vanilla is the shortest path to the standard game: install the matching dedicated server, protect it with a password, and administer it through the server console. TShock is third-party server software that adds administration and automation, including commands, whitelists, login controls, bans, and plugin interfaces. It also exposes settings for slots, autosave, crash saves, and backups.
| Decision factor | Vanilla dedicated server | TShock |
|---|---|---|
| Best fit | A group that wants the unmodified Terraria experience and simple password access | A community needing structured moderation, permissions, commands, or plugins |
| Administration | Basic console administration and password protection | Accounts, commands, whitelist and ban tooling, plus plugin-driven administration |
| Backups and saves | Automatic world saving; external backup routine remains your responsibility | Documented autosave, crash-save, last-player-exit save, interval, and retention controls |
| Compatibility work | Use the dedicated server matching the clients | Match the TShock release to the Terraria version and check plugin compatibility after updates |
| Configuration | Server configuration file passed with -config |
TShock has its own configuration system; its config.json keys are not interchangeable with vanilla settings |
| Maintenance burden | Fewer moving parts | More features, but more software and plugin updates to test |
TShock’s documented defaults include ServerPort 7777 and MaxSlots 8. Treat those as TShock defaults, not universal limits for every server build. Choose TShock because you need its administrative features, not merely because a server is online continuously.
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Run more than one world
Each instance needs its own process resources and identity:
- A distinct
.wldfile and world path. - A separate configuration file.
- A unique TCP port, such as 7777 for one instance and another unused port for the next.
- Separate logs, backup folders, and service or scheduled-task names.
- Firewall and router rules for every externally reachable port.
Do not launch two instances with the same configuration or port. If one world appears when you expected another, stop both processes, inspect the command line and working directory, and relaunch each with an absolute configuration path.
Troubleshoot by symptom
Players cannot connect from outside the house
- Confirm the server console shows it is listening on the configured port and that the process is still running.
- Check the host firewall rule and its network profile.
- Verify the router forwards TCP—not only UDP—to the server’s current fixed LAN address.
- Check the public IP shown by the router against the address players are using.
- Investigate CGNAT or an upstream modem/router that is also performing NAT.
Local players connect, but remote players cannot
The world and server process are probably healthy. Concentrate on the path between the internet and the host: forwarding target, WAN address, ISP restrictions, provider firewall, and any second router in bridge/access-point mode.
The process stops when a terminal closes
Move the launch into a persistent session or service manager. Reconnect to the session or inspect the service logs, then configure automatic startup and restart after you have confirmed a clean manual stop.
The world or settings change after a reboot
Compare the command line used at boot with the one used manually. Confirm that both use the same -config file, absolute world path, user account, and working directory. Search for duplicate installations and stale batch files.
A crash causes apparent world loss
Stop the process, preserve the current files for diagnosis, and restore the newest verified backup to a separate location before replacing the live world. Review autosave, crash-save, backup interval, and retention settings; do not delete the only damaged copy.
TShock login or plugin errors appear
Use the configuration format and release that belong to your TShock version. Do not paste vanilla server keys into config.json or assume a plugin built for another Terraria/TShock combination will load. Disable or update plugins one at a time and keep a known-good backup of the world and configuration.
Pre-launch and ongoing checklist
- Dedicated server files and client versions are compatible.
- The intended world opens and has a recent, tested backup.
- The configuration file uses the correct absolute world path, port, slots, password, MOTD, ban list, and network options.
- The host has a stable LAN address, sufficient disk space, and a firewall rule for the configured TCP port.
- A home router forwards the port, or a VPS/provider firewall permits it without unnecessary home-router changes.
- The process starts automatically, survives terminal/SSH disconnects, and restarts after an unexpected exit.
- Logs are retained and someone receives an alert when the process or host becomes unavailable.
- Dated world backups are stored off the server and a restore has been tested.
- Players have the correct public or private address, port, and password—and know when maintenance occurs.
With those controls in place, a Terraria server can remain available independently of any one player’s game session. The dedicated process, repeatable configuration, reachable network path, and recoverable world are the parts that make “24/7” dependable.
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