Terraria server problems

Common Terraria server problems and how to fix them. Settings named here are on your Startup page, see Terraria settings.

I cannot connect to my Terraria server

Why it happens: The server is still starting, the address or port is wrong, or the game version is different.

How to fix it:

1. Wait until the status says Online.
2. In Terraria choose Multiplayer, Join via IP, and enter the address and port from the Network page.
3. Check the password if one is set.
4. See Can’t connect to any game.

“You are not using the same version as this server”

Why it happens: Terraria clients and servers must be on the same version. The Modded edition runs on tModLoader, whose base game version can differ from the regular game (in our test, tModLoader’s server reported Terraria 1.4.4.9 while the Vanilla server reported 1.4.5.8), so modded players must use the tModLoader client. The Vanilla edition uses Terraria version (TERRARIA_VERSION, default latest). The Modded edition uses tModloader Version (VERSION).

How to fix it:

1. On Startup, set the version to latest to match the current game, or the exact version number your players use, written in the same format the Startup description shows.
2. Save and restart the server.
3. Make sure players have updated Terraria, or tModLoader for a modded server.

“Incorrect password” or asked for a password

Why it happens: The password is set on Startup. Vanilla uses Password (PASSWORD), and Modded uses Server Password (SERVER_PASSWORD).

How to fix it:

1. Stop the server and change or clear the value on Startup.
2. Start the server. Blank means no password.

The world does not load, or the server made a new world instead

Why it happens: The server loads the world with the name in World Name (WORLD_NAME, default world). If no file with that name exists, a new one may be created.

How to fix it:

1. In Files, look for your .wld file. It has the same name as World Name plus .wld.
2. Set World Name on Startup to match the file name, without .wld.
3. To use a world from your PC, upload the .wld file in Files, and set World Name to its name.
4. Watch the Console. If it says it cannot find the world, the name or the folder is wrong. Open a ticket if you cannot find where the worlds are stored.

I changed World Size or Difficulty and nothing happened

Why it happens: World Size, Difficulty and World Seed apply only when a world is first created. An existing world keeps what it had.

How to fix it:

1. Back up the old world first.
2. Set World Name to a new name, and set size, difficulty and seed on Startup.
3. Start the server so it creates the new world.
4. To return to the old world, set the old World Name again.

Journey mode: how do I turn it on?

Why it happens: Journey mode is a world difficulty, chosen at creation.

How to fix it:

1. For Vanilla, set Difficulty (WORLD_DIFFICULTY) to 3. For Modded, Difficulty (DIFFICULTY) 3.
2. Use a new World Name so a new world is made. It cannot be changed on an existing world.
3. Journey characters can only play in Journey worlds, and the reverse.

How do I change max players?

Why it happens: Max Players is a variable, set on Startup for Vanilla.

How to fix it:

1. On Startup, change Max Players (MAX_PLAYERS, default 8). The Modded Startup list does not show this option, so open a ticket for tModLoader.
2. Restart the server.

My config changes get overwritten (serverconfig.txt)

Why it happens: The panel may write startup values into the server config on each start, so values you edit in the file by hand can be replaced.

How to fix it:

1. Use the Startup page for settings that have a variable.
2. For anything without a variable, edit the file in Files only when the server is stopped, and check it after a start.
3. If a setting keeps reverting, open a ticket.

Auto-create: server asks for a world in the Console

Why it happens: If no world exists, the server needs to create one. With the settings on Startup, it creates a world using the size, difficulty, seed and name you set.

How to fix it:

1. Fill in World Name, World Size and Difficulty on Startup.
2. Restart the server, and watch the Console. It should create the world and continue.
3. If it stays waiting, open a ticket.

tModLoader: mods do not load

Why it happens: The server needs the mods installed and enabled, and the same mods on every player.

How to fix it:

1. Your server must be the Modded edition.
2. Upload mods as .tmod files to the server’s mods folder in Files. tModLoader reads a file called enabled.json in that same folder, which is a list of the mod names to load (without .tmod). If the file is missing, tModLoader logs a warning and loads no mods. Mods installed from the Steam Workshop work differently, so open a ticket for those. If you cannot find the mods folder, open a ticket.
3. Restart and read the Console for each mod’s load message or error.
4. We cannot promise that any specific mod works. Ask the mod author for help with mod errors.

tModLoader: “mod list does not match” or players cannot join

Why it happens: Players must have the same mods, in the same versions, as the server.

How to fix it:

1. Compare the mod list on your server with each player’s list.
2. Update mods on both sides. Make sure the tModLoader version is the same.
3. Remove a mod that fails and test again.

tModLoader version problem after an update

Why it happens: tModLoader releases can require newer mod versions, and old mods may break.

How to fix it:

1. Set tModloader Version (VERSION) on Startup to a specific version to keep it steady, or latest to follow updates.
2. Update all mods, or remove ones that are not updated.
3. Back up first: see Backups.

Server crashes or runs out of memory on a large world

Why it happens: Large worlds and many mods use more memory, and tModLoader uses more than vanilla.

How to fix it:

1. Check the Console for “Out of memory: true”, then see Out of memory.
2. Remove mods, or use a smaller world.
3. Consider a plan with more memory: Upgrade.

Lag and enemies skipping

Why it happens: Terraria syncs enemy positions in a way that can cause skipping on slower links.

How to fix it:

1. On Startup, set NPCStream (NPCSTREAM) to a low number above 0. The lower the number, the less skipping but the more data sent. 0 is off.
2. Restart and test.

Still stuck?

Open a ticket or ask on Discord. See Contact support.