Can anyone recommend a futures broker that offers either a browser based interface or a trading platform that does not require changes to a corporate firewall configuration? For instance, IB and PFG require that some port be opened in my firewall. Thanks.
another solution is to use a tunneling software. NB : this might be against your company's policy, although it is not a security problem. http://www.tucows.com/preview/212977.html there are others, that's just an example. I give it because almost all DAT brokers need these ports so the software can communicate realtime with their servers.
I have used IB a number of times at work where we have a large network with firewall, using their browser based TWS.
You can try a J-Trader demo to find out if it works behind your firewall. The stand alone version is also available http://www.proedgeonline.com/sitelogin.asp Joe Barry
Most third party software will require that one or more ports be available since they have one or more data feeds / protocols required to communicate either their or their partners servers. The reality of the world right now is that you really cant have all communications as secure as we would like: there are many third party applications that transmit/receive data in a nonsecure manner and for now we just have to live with these mechanisms. Unfortunately it is costly to open firewall ports - which introduces the requirement for monitoring and filtering the open ports in most situations, thus adding costs/overhead. Some data/trading providers do provide the option of a Virtual Private Network (VPN) option for their customers: however it appears to me that very few offer this option currently.
Browser based systems would be a viable candidate for this type of configuration. Any VPN based solution will most likely demand some port changes on the client firewall. PATS may be the exception depending on what ports are available.