Are other IB users exeriencing the same connectivity issues that I'm having with IB? I have a high speed cable internet connection and run the minimum of progs on my XP yet often (once a week at least) I'm bumped offline and the IB trading platform appears to be the culprit. My ping rate for google is approx 35 ms but for the IB server it is often 105ms+ I'm using the latest standalone version on my desktop. This problem seems to have gotten worse the last few months or so. Any comments or suggestions folks? Please don't bother with the IB is crap stuff though...I'm aware of their limitations but thus far the pros outweigh the cons. I'd contact IB but they're not always so helpful. I'm also considering opening up another minor account with a different brokerage for medium term trading. I've used IB in combo with Ensign for at least 5 years.
The only troubles I've had with IB, over years and years, are these items: 1. Constant TWS and API upgrades will occasionally cause me problems. I mitigate this by only using an older "installed" TWS version and only upgrading when I absolutely have to. 2. IB TWS "pink-outs" indicating connection failure with IB servers. This doesn't happen to me much, even when I used crummy Hughesnet satellite ISP. I'm sure that at least some of these disconnects are ISP-related. 3. Quote update failure. Sometimes the only indication something is wrong, is when stocks, or futures, or both, quotes don't update. Usually re-starting TWS will fix this. All in all, IB has been a great broker for me. Can't beat the commish, markets and open API. Good trading to all.
WG, would you care to say a few words about your experience with Hughesnet for trading? For example, have you ever had TWS execution lag problems with the relatively high latency for a satellite internet connection? Thx.
Time to learn about connectivity. Its much more likely that you have a problem in your local loop to your isp, your isp, the isp to core link than that IB have a problem. Get something like pingplotter freeware to do the tests (shows where the failure occurs). Then you need to know which IB connections you are using so you can ping them when the dropouts occur. I use prio but other solutions will also let you monitor ur ip connections to see which ib hosts you are connected with. Then when you have a failure you'll be able to ping plot to the ib host that you should be connected to and see where the failure is occurring. Except at server reset times I bet you'll find that your ISP's links are not as good as you hoped.
I don't trade methods that would require high speed/low latency, so I can say the lag never bothered me. And it really wasn't even noticable. But the satellite was annoying in other ways. Mostly the problems were occasional space effects like sun spot issues at certain times of year, or bad weather conditions at my end or at the Maryland Op Center. And the worst problems were the over-crowding of routers and transponders. Still, you have to say that satellite is better than dialup. But not better than almost any other ISP option.