Fixed: Terraria Dedicated Server Infinite Password Prompt
A frustrating bug often encountered on Terraria dedicated servers is the "Infinite Password Prompt." A player enters the correct password, clicks submit, and is immediately asked for the password again—or worse, gets stuck on "Connecting to [IP]" with a secondary password box. This is rarely a typo and usually a Packet Desync. This guide shows the 2026 fixes.
🔗 Packet 1: Login Request
The password check happens during the initial handshake. If the server is experiencing high packet loss, it will "forget" the challenge-response and ask again.
🛡️ TShock Auth Conflict
If you are using TShock, the "Ingame Password" and the "Server Config Password" can conflict, leading to an endless loop.
How to Fix the Password Loop
1. Clear the "Steam Favorites" Cache
If you are joining through the Steam Favorites list, Steam may be passing an "Old" password in the join string. Delete the server from your favorites and join via the In-game IP Join menu to force a fresh handshake.
2. Disable 'secure' in serverconfig.txt
In the vanilla Terraria dedicated server, the secure=1 setting enables an extra layer of packet validation. While good for security, it is notoriously buggy with certain firewalls. Setting it to secure=0 often resolves the password loop immediately.
3. Fix the TShock 'setup' Lock
If you just installed TShock, you might be seeing the password prompt because the server is in "Setup Mode." Look at your server console; if it says Please enter setup code: XXXXXX, the game will reject all player passwords until the admin enters that code in the console.
Admin Tip: If you are using a port other than 7777 (e.g., 7778), you MUST enter the port manually in the join screen. Terraria sometimes defaults to 7777 during the password phase even if you started on a different port, causing the loop.
Advanced Network Fixes
If the loop continues, your server might be behind a Restrictive Double-NAT. Ensure your dedicated server platform provides a true Public IPv4. At Supercraft, we provide static dedicated IPs for every Terraria instance, ensuring perfect handshake reliability.