If you think one of the IB servers is acting up you can change the one you connect to by editing the jts.ini file. Also the connection to the IB server is a low level socket connection. If there are any delays or 'storms' on the internet you can lose the connection. If that happens and you don't immediately regain the connection, close TWS and start it again. Also go to www.dslreports.com/tools and run the tweak test. Most windows users have their RWIN value set way to high and this introduces the scary '>2 sec delay' condition. Change your RWIN to the low part of the range. The windows default is some crazy number which is way too high. This may help you maintain the connection better. Lastly, I the internet broker I had before I used IB had a similar problem. Its connection to GLOBEX was the same one I used and if the system failure happened in a certain way the help desk couldn't do anything. This was at a very large firm with a large phone order desk etc...
Just to let you know that I am very happy with IB. I tried quite a few brokers, they all have there problems, so does IB. At least IB is not so expensive. But keep in mind I am not a scalper. So seconds don't count for me. S.
I tried changing the servers and I looked and the login script and it seems to keep redirecting me to the server I originally was on even if another server initially took my login request.
PuffyGums, Do you have a list of servers to use? Couldn't find it in the docs, but maybe I just haven't looked hard enough.
The servers are gw1 to gw4. But I seem to be keep getting redirected to gw4. So you may not be able to change servers.
IB had problems this afternoon. Orders could not be entered. Error message "contract could not be valued at this time" appeared.