How to Host a Thorium Mod Terraria Server (Dedicated tModLoader Guide)

To host a Thorium server, run a dedicated tModLoader server with Thorium and every required dependency enabled, then give players the server’s address and TCP port. The server and every client must use compatible Terraria, tModLoader, Thorium, dependency, and mod-list versions. On a home machine you also need a firewall rule and, for players outside your network, router port forwarding. The default Terraria server port is TCP 7777.

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This guide covers a Windows or Linux home server, a Docker deployment on a VPS, and a managed Terraria host. It also shows how to build the mod set, prepare serverconfig.txt, connect remotely, and diagnose the failures that most often prevent a Thorium world from appearing or joining.

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What a Thorium server actually is

Thorium is a content mod that runs through tModLoader; it is not a separate server executable. Your dedicated process is therefore a tModLoader server, and Thorium is one of the mods that process loads. Players connect through the tModLoader multiplayer flow rather than an unmodified Terraria client.

A successful setup has four matching layers:

• The Terraria desktop version.
• The tModLoader branch and build.
• Thorium and its dependency versions.
• The enabled mod list, including load order where a dependency requires it.

If any layer differs, the usual results are a missing-mod error, a rejected connection, a world that fails to load, or a client that disconnects during loading. Treat the mod list as part of the server’s configuration, not as an optional add-on.

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Choose where to run the server

The right host depends on whether you value control, convenience, or predictable uptime. All three approaches run the same tModLoader/Thorium software; they differ in networking and maintenance.

Compare a paid option on CPU and RAM headroom, geographic latency, backup retention, mod/version controls, firewall access, automatic restarts, and whether you can upload a custom modpack. A panel that advertises “Terraria hosting” is not automatically suitable for tModLoader or Thorium.

Check versions before installing anything

Version parity is the most important prerequisite. The official Thorium wiki snapshot used for this guide displays the pairing Thorium 1.7.2.8, Terraria 1.4.4.9, and tModLoader 2023.11.3.3. Those numbers are a snapshot, not a permanent requirement: tModLoader and Thorium releases change. Recheck the current Thorium compatibility page and use the branch it lists when you create the server.

Write down the selected versions before installing. On Steam, make sure the host and each player select the same tModLoader branch. A client on a newer preview or a different stable build can fail even when the displayed Thorium version is identical.

Make a parity checklist

• Record the Terraria version and tModLoader branch/build.
• Install the same Thorium release on the server and all clients.
• Install every dependency required by Thorium and by your other selected mods.
• Keep the enabled mod names and versions identical; remove test mods from one side instead of leaving an accidental mismatch.
• After an update, have every player update before attempting to join the world.

Install the dedicated tModLoader server

Official tModLoader Dedicated Server Utils is the supported management approach. It can install the loader, install mods, and start the server through a script. You can obtain the utility through SteamCMD or its GitHub release, then follow the platform-specific workflow supplied with that release.

Windows installation

1. Install the Terraria/tModLoader branch selected in your version checklist on the machine that will host the world.
2. Download the matching Dedicated Server Utils package or SteamCMD workflow and place it in a dedicated server directory, such as C:TerrariaThoriumServer.
3. Run the utility’s setup or install action so the tModLoader server files are created. Keep the server directory separate from your personal client worlds and resource packs.
4. Confirm that the directory contains the tModLoader server launcher, a configuration file location, and the mod-management files described by the utility.

Some releases include start-tModLoaderServer.bat. Use that launcher after configuring the world and mods; do not start a vanilla TerrariaServer.exe when you intend to load Thorium.

Linux or VPS installation

1. Install the distribution packages required by the current Dedicated Server Utils release and Docker only if you are choosing the container workflow.
2. Place the utility in a persistent directory owned by a dedicated server account rather than running the game process as root.
3. Use the utility’s installation action to fetch or unpack the selected tModLoader branch.
4. Keep the world, configuration, mod cache, and logs on persistent storage so a restart or container recreation does not erase them.

The management script is also the normal place to install the mod set. The documented command is:

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./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-mods

Run it from the directory containing the management script. If it reports that a mod cannot be found, stop and correct the mod identifier or version before starting the server; repeatedly launching with a partial mod set makes later diagnosis harder.

Docker deployment

Docker is useful when you want the same server definition to be recreated on a VPS or moved to another machine. Use the current tModLoader server image and workflow documented by the project, then bind-mount persistent directories for worlds, configuration, mods, and logs. Publish the container’s TCP 7777 port on the VPS and open that port in the VPS firewall.

Pin the image or loader branch rather than silently tracking an untested latest tag. When you update, stop the container, back up the world and configuration, change one version at a time, and test with a small group before making the server public.

Install Thorium and its dependencies

Thorium must be present in the server’s enabled mod set. Install it with the same release selected for the clients, then add every dependency identified by the current Thorium listing. Do not assume a dependency is optional because the server starts: a missing dependency can disable recipes, items, or world content later.

Using the management files

1. Put the required mod package files in the server’s mod installation location or use the management utility’s supported download method.
2. Run ./manage-tModLoaderServer.sh install-mods on Linux, or the equivalent management action on Windows.
3. Inspect install.txt to confirm the intended mod identifiers and versions are present.
4. Inspect enabled.json and confirm Thorium, its dependencies, and your other chosen mods are enabled.
5. Make the same enabled list available to each player. A copied modpack is safer than asking players to recreate a long list manually.

tModLoader’s server guide documents modpath and modpack settings. Use modpath when you need to point the server at a specific mod directory, and use modpack when you have a defined collection that should be loaded consistently. Keep these settings aligned with the files actually installed; a correct JSON file in the wrong directory has no effect.

Validate the mod set before opening the server

• Start once with the final list and watch the console for dependency or version errors.
• Check that Thorium reaches a loaded or enabled state rather than being skipped.
• Have one client join locally before inviting remote players.
• If you add another content mod, test it separately so you know which change caused a failure.

Create or copy the world

You can generate a new world from the server or copy an existing .wld file into the server’s world directory. Stop the server before replacing a world file. A copied world must be compatible with the selected Terraria/tModLoader branch and with the enabled mods; keep a backup of the original before allowing a new mod to alter it.

Use an absolute path in the configuration when possible. Relative paths depend on the directory from which the launcher starts and are a common cause of “world not found” errors after moving a server or creating a scheduled task.

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Write serverconfig.txt

Create a text file named serverconfig.txt in the location expected by your launcher. At minimum, define the world path, player limit, port, and password. Include the mod settings required by your tModLoader branch.

world=C:TerrariaThoriumServerWorldsthorium.wld
maxplayers=8
port=7777
password=choose-a-strong-password
modpath=C:TerrariaThoriumServerMods
modpack=C:TerrariaThoriumServerModsthorium-pack.json

The exact accepted keys and path syntax follow the tModLoader server version you installed. On Linux, use forward-slash paths, for example /srv/thorium/Worlds/thorium.wld. If you do not use a modpack file, omit the modpack line rather than pointing it at a nonexistent file. Keep the password out of screenshots and public chat.

Start commands

On Windows, launch start-tModLoaderServer.bat and select or pass the configuration file according to the launcher’s prompts. On Linux, use the corresponding command supplied by Dedicated Server Utils, or start the configured container. Keep the terminal or service logs visible during the first launch.

A healthy startup should identify the selected tModLoader build, load Thorium and its dependencies without errors, locate the specified .wld file, and bind to TCP port 7777. A warning about a missing mod, world, or port should be fixed before players connect.

Open the network path

The official Terraria server documentation states that the server runs on TCP port 7777 by default. You may choose another unused TCP port, but every firewall, router, server setting, and player connection must use the same value.

On the server machine

1. Create an inbound firewall rule allowing the selected TCP port, normally 7777.
2. Allow the tModLoader server executable or service to communicate through the operating system firewall when prompted.
3. Confirm that the server is listening on the intended interface and port instead of binding only to localhost.

On a home router

1. Give the host computer a stable private address through a DHCP reservation or a manually assigned address.
2. Create a port-forwarding rule from external TCP 7777 to the host’s private address and TCP 7777.
3. Restart the server after changing the rule and test from outside your home network, such as a friend’s connection or a mobile hotspot.

Players on the same LAN can usually connect to the host’s private address. Players on the internet need your public IP or a DNS hostname and the external port. If your internet provider uses carrier-grade NAT, ordinary port forwarding may not work; in that case use a VPS, a managed host, or a networking method supported by your provider.

Tell players how to join

1. Each player installs the same Terraria and tModLoader branch recorded in your checklist.
2. Each player enables Thorium, its dependencies, and the same additional mods, with matching versions.
3. In tModLoader, open the multiplayer menu and choose the join option appropriate to the server type.
4. Enter the public hostname or IP address and TCP port 7777, unless you deliberately chose another port.
5. Enter the server password exactly as configured.

Give players the address and port privately rather than posting them publicly. If a hostname resolves to an old address, have them try the current public IP once; then update your DNS record or hosting panel.

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Memory, CPU, and player capacity

The official Terraria documentation lists 500 MB of free RAM for a small world. That is a documented baseline, not a guaranteed Thorium capacity. RAM usage varies with world size, player count, loaded mods, NPC activity, and other server processes. Leave headroom for the operating system and for spikes when players explore new areas.

Start with a conservative maxplayers value, monitor memory and CPU during exploration, and increase the limit only after the server remains stable. A machine that can launch a world may still stutter when several players generate terrain, use modded projectiles, or trigger large events simultaneously.

Operate the server safely

Backups

• Stop the server cleanly before copying the .wld file.
• Keep several dated world backups, including one before every loader or major-mod update.
• Back up serverconfig.txt, enabled.json, install.txt, and the modpack definition with the world.
• Store at least one backup outside the host machine or VPS volume.

Updates

Read the current Thorium compatibility information before updating. Update the server and clients as one change set, and do not overwrite a working world without a backup. If a new tModLoader build breaks a mod, restore the previous loader/mod combination and the corresponding world backup rather than mixing old and new files.

Restarts and permissions

Use a service manager, scheduled task, or container restart policy only after a manual launch works. Run the process under a limited account, restrict who can edit the world and mod directories, and keep the server password separate from administrative credentials.

Troubleshoot in the order that saves time

The server starts, but Thorium is missing

1. Open enabled.json and verify Thorium is enabled.
2. Check install.txt and confirm the installed identifier and version match the client.
3. Run the management utility’s install-mods action again and read its error output.
4. Check for a dependency error in the startup log, then install the dependency on both server and clients.
5. Verify modpath points to the directory containing the installed files.

Players receive a version or mod mismatch error

Compare the exact tModLoader branch first, then the Thorium version, then the complete enabled list. Disable a newly added mod on both sides to isolate the conflict. Do not fix a mismatch by copying only Thorium; dependencies and load order can matter as well.

The server cannot find the world

Confirm the file extension is really .wld, check capitalization on Linux, and replace a relative path with an absolute one. Make sure the launcher is reading the configuration file you edited and that the service account has read/write permission for the world directory.

Local players can join, but remote players cannot

1. Confirm the server is listening on TCP 7777, or on the alternate port you selected.
2. Allow that TCP port through the host firewall.
3. Check the router’s forwarding destination and ensure the host’s private IP has not changed.
4. Test using the public address from outside the LAN.
5. Ask the internet provider whether carrier-grade NAT blocks inbound connections.

Players disconnect or the world lags

Watch RAM and CPU while the problem occurs, reduce maxplayers, and test with fewer active mods. Check the server log for repeated exceptions. A larger VPS or a managed host can provide more headroom, but moving hosts will not correct a version mismatch or a broken mod configuration.

Home server, VPS, or managed host: a practical decision

• Choose home hosting when the group is small, the machine can stay online, and you are comfortable configuring a router and maintaining backups.
• Choose a Docker VPS when you need a stable public endpoint, reproducible deployment, automated restarts, and control over the operating system.
• Choose managed hosting when a control panel, provider-maintained uptime, and built-in backups are worth a recurring fee; verify Thorium, tModLoader, custom modpacks, file access, and backup restoration before paying.

Whichever model you select, the technical contract is the same: compatible versions, a complete enabled mod set, a readable world path, TCP access to the chosen port, and a tested backup. Resolve those five items before inviting a larger group.

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