InteractiveBrokers TWS: can no longer login with SSL

Discussion in 'Trading Software' started by samovar, Apr 11, 2011.

  1. samovar

    samovar

    Last Friday, I tried to use my paper trading account and when logging in, I got the following error:

    Login failed - Failed send NSMsg - javax.net.ssl.SSLHandshakeException: sun.security.validator.ValidatorException: PKIX path validation failed: java.security.cert.CertPathValidatorException: timestamp check failed

    I contacted IB customer support and was told to disable SSL. Duh. Anyway, I don't care much about encrypting my data for the paper account, so I disabled SSL and I could login.

    But now when I try to log into my real account with SSL checked, I get the same error. Obviously, I don't want to disable SSL.

    I already empties the Java cache from Java Control Panel -> Temporary Internet Files and re-launched the browser-based TWD (both stable and beta). Same error.

    Anyone knows what the problem is?
     
  2. toho

    toho

    TWS stores the name of the server it last connected to in a file called jts.ini. Typically the file would include something like

    Peer=gw1.ibllc.com:4000

    The next time you use TWS it will look in jts.ini to find out which server to connect to.

    When you connect using the paper trading account, TWS will be directed to another server, and store the name of that server in your jts.ini. E.g.

    Peer=gw1.chicago.ibllc.com:4000

    The next time you log on using your regular account, the paper trading server will direct you back to the server where your regular account resides. The problem is that your paper trading server does not speak SSL. If you check the SSL box after you have used the paper trading account, the paper trading server can't guide TWS back to the regular server, and you are stuck.

    The only way around this, as far as I know, is to edit the jts.ini file.
     
  3. samovar

    samovar

    Thanks toho, editing jts.ini will probably work in my case too.

    In the meantime, I ran TWS standalone, and the problem solved itself, even though my standalone and web-based TWSes are configured to use different JTS directories. I'm actually confused about how the problem solved itself.
     
  4. I am not able to use SSL frome Europe.

    I edited the jts.ini file with UseSSL=true, and tried the peers gw1.ibllc.ch:400 and
    gw4.ibllc.com:400, but they do not work with SSL.

    Is there any European trader with a working TWS SSL connection to IB?
    Could someone provide the name of a European server that supports SSL?

    thanks in advance
     
  5. Hi, I'm european and had the same problem some time ago. I was told by one IB support guy to do this, it is working fine now, although it's a bit annoying.

    In order to launch TWS real account with SSL, you have to edit jts.ini and set this:
    Peer=gw1.ibllc.com:4001

    Later, after launching the paper account the jts.ini gets modified like this:
    Peer=gw1.chicago.ibllc.com:4000

    Next time prior to launch the real account (using SSL), it is necessary to have the original jts.ini setting again:
    Peer=gw1.ibllc.com:4001

    Hope this help.