IB Gateway disconnection

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arjfca
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IB Gateway disconnection

Postby arjfca » 10 Feb 2011

Hello

I'm testing IB Gateway and nearly every nigth ( New-York time) I'm experimenting a lost of connection with IB Gateway server

In my "Order and Position Traker" window, I got these messages

2011-02-10 00:22:57 The connection to InteractiveBrokers has been lost
2011-02-10 00:22:58 The Automated Order Execution mode as been turned off due to a settingchange


Anyone experimenting the same problem?
Is it just for paper trading? Same problem in live trading?
Any work arround for the problem?

I'm trying to get information from them, but the service with email is not good at all.

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby sptrader » 10 Feb 2011

IB resets its server at midnight EST nightly.

arjfca
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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby arjfca » 10 Feb 2011

Hello SpTrader

Thank you!

I tougth that IB Gateway was suppose to resolve the problem that I had with IB TWS about the reconnection.

Is there any workarround?
I'm experimenting the problem in paper (demo) trading. Is it the same with real account?

Martin

ct3232
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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby ct3232 » 14 Feb 2011

Yes - its the same in real trading. At midnight every night the connection between MC and IB is lost. It makes automated trading on currency futures and many others virtually impossible.

I find this a significant limitation. I used to have an account with TS, which was live 24/7 - no need to re-connect on weekends either.

In addition, it also seems that even though it is advertised as automated trading, it really is not. MC will send the order to IB as generated by your strategy. However, IB will not process the order until you confirm via a popup window. In other words, you need to be by your computer. With TS you could completely override this feature and have true automated trading. Is this possible with MC and IB?

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Dave Masalov
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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby Dave Masalov » 14 Feb 2011

In addition, it also seems that even though it is advertised as automated trading, it really is not. MC will send the order to IB as generated by your strategy. However, IB will not process the order until you confirm via a popup window. In other words, you need to be by your computer. With TS you could completely override this feature and have true automated trading. Is this possible with MC and IB?
ct3232,

You should disable "Require order confirmation" option in Strategy Properties --> Auto Trading --> Automate Order Execution Settings.

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby ct3232 » 14 Feb 2011

Dave

Many thanks - I thought there must be a way. That makes automated trading a little easier.

Chris

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby ct3232 » 14 Feb 2011

Dave

Regarding the initial problem of IB disconnecting every night - I'm just wondering if any or all of the other data suppliers, also do the same thing. Does anybody know if this is a problem specific to I.

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby arjfca » 14 Feb 2011

Hello

About the disconnection,

Actually, I use IB set on the North American server who is reset every night between 11:30 pm and 00:30am. I have asked IB to be deserve by the Asian server. This one is reset between 11:30 am and 00:30 pm. This is more suitable for me since my trading rules prevent me to trade later than 11:30 am. Having to reset the automatic trading around noon, is much better for the "couple" than at midnightd :)

I still don't know if the delay in the quote and trade time will modify my result. Since I don't scalp, I nearly never as to close at market. All stops are pre determined.

Martin

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Dave Masalov
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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby Dave Masalov » 16 Feb 2011

Regarding the initial problem of IB disconnecting every night - I'm just wondering if any or all of the other data suppliers, also do the same thing. Does anybody know if this is a problem specific to I.
ct3232,

As far as I am concerned, not all brokers reload their servers every night. Please contact the supported brokers to know if they require disconnection or not.

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby arjfca » 16 Feb 2011

Dave

Regarding the initial problem of IB disconnecting every night - I'm just wondering if any or all of the other data suppliers, also do the same thing. Does anybody know if this is a problem specific to I.
Problem seem to be resolve for the moment. As suggested by a member, I did increase the time before auto trading be disconnected to 600 sec. ( 5 minutes). A bit long, but it overpass the disconnection problem and the strategy stay on. At least, it worked for the last 3 nigths.

I wanted to test with Asia server, but demo trading are held only from North American server.

Martin

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby ct3232 » 17 Feb 2011

Thanks arjfca - I'll try that.

I could maybe understand if IB was disconnecting to do some maintenance work, but that does not seem to be the reason. For me it shuts off at approx 11pm every night and yet almost instantaneously, I can log back on.

I chatted with the IB people and they acknowledge that it happens every day; they cannot give a good reason why its necessary; they have no plans to change anything. In other words, they don't care.

I think its time to get away from IB.

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby arjfca » 17 Feb 2011

ct2332

IB as is Plus and Minus. Here is my opinion

My last broker went on bankrupt and I did lost all my capital there. I do trust a little bit more IB because it is an ECN and doesn't seem to play around with is customers.

Yes, their platform s..k and they reset their sever every night and yes the customer service is slow. But overall, I got the sentiment that my money is safer than with a bucket shop where they charge you a fixed spread. These places are nice on paper, trust me. But they are especially nicer for themselves.

By increasing my time delay before MC cancel the signal, I did not lost any opportunity. System as stayed on since last Sunday night. If it goes well for the rest of the week, I may start live my signal. A great achievement for me after 3 years in demo and 3 months to create my signal :).

Good luck!
Happy Trading!

Martin

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TJ
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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby TJ » 17 Feb 2011

...

I think its time to get away from IB.
many ppl tried that.
all attempts seem futile.

;-)

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby ventus » 17 Feb 2011

...

I think its time to get away from IB.
many ppl tried that.
all attempts seem futile.

;-)
you said it. i've tried just about every major broker out there and have always ended up reactivating my ib account. for all their faults, they do many things well. i guess it just depends on what you're looking for.

btw, i run gateway nonstop for weeks at a time without any hiccups so it is stable for some of us.

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby ct3232 » 19 Feb 2011

Well I tried setting the time delay to 600 seconds and even further as someone suggested in another post to 86,400 seconds; but still IB shuts down each evening. Very frustrating - I'm trading the currency futures and to have IB shut down at approx the time of the European markets opening is crazy.

Makes me really worry if you feel that IB is the best of the lot. I guess I got spoiled being with TS for many years - they had a seamless transition between the charting and the trading functions.

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TJ
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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby TJ » 19 Feb 2011

Well I tried setting the time delay to 600 seconds and even further as someone suggested in another post to 86,400 seconds; but still IB shuts down each evening. Very frustrating - I'm trading the currency futures and to have IB shut down at approx the time of the European markets opening is crazy.

Makes me really worry if you feel that IB is the best of the lot. I guess I got spoiled being with TS for many years - they had a seamless transition between the charting and the trading functions.
IB has 3 server farms, they are located in USA, Hong Kong, and UK.
Each has a different reboot time. (local market specific time)
You can request to have your account connect to the one that suites your needs.

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby ct3232 » 23 Feb 2011

Still no change to the daily shut down by IB.

At least they are consistent - consistently awful, that is; it shuts down every night at 10pm PST. I just have to make sure I'm at a computer evry night at ten, just to immediately re-launch.

What exactly is the reason for the shut down

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TJ
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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby TJ » 23 Feb 2011

Still no change to the daily shut down by IB.

At least they are consistent - consistently awful, that is; it shuts down every night at 10pm PST. I just have to make sure I'm at a computer evry night at ten, just to immediately re-launch.

What exactly is the reason for the shut down
All brokers re-boot their computers, but not all of them tell you.

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TJ
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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby TJ » 23 Feb 2011

Still no change to the daily shut down by IB.

At least they are consistent - consistently awful, that is; it shuts down every night at 10pm PST. I just have to make sure I'm at a computer evry night at ten, just to immediately re-launch.

What exactly is the reason for the shut down
p.s.
What are you re-launching? Are you referring to TWS?

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby ct3232 » 23 Feb 2011

TJ

Yes - by re-launch I mean I have to double click on the TWS icon - it is not restarting on its own. I know MC can load IB automatically upon start-up, but it doesn't look like it will go searching for TWS and load it, once MC is already running. If it did, that might solve the problem. In other words if the connection between MC and IB is severed for any reason, then MC will automatically re-start TWS.

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Re: IB Gateway disconnection

Postby TJ » 23 Feb 2011

TJ

Yes - by re-launch I mean I have to double click on the TWS icon - it is not restarting on its own. I know MC can load IB automatically upon start-up, but it doesn't look like it will go searching for TWS and load it, once MC is already running. If it did, that might solve the problem. In other words if the connection between MC and IB is severed for any reason, then MC will automatically re-start TWS.
I think there are a few pieces of information you are missing/misunderstood:

1. IB server reboot and TWS shut down are 2 different things.

IB reboots its servers everyday. That's the computers at their end. You will experience temporary disconnect. ie. you will receive no quotes, and cannot access your account or make trades.
All brokers do that at one time or another to purge their systems.

TWS (the software client sitting in your computer) is timed to shut down every 24 hours. The exact time can be set in the TWS configuration menu.

2. The TWS shut down can be avoided in 2 ways:

a) use IB Gateway instead.

b) circumvent the TWS 24 hrs limit with a 3rd party program.

google TWSStart or ibcontroller

more information at IB's forum and their webinar.


Hope the above helps.


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