After
market hours, you can also email us at
tac@interactivebrokers.com. Please include the following information:
- Your username and account number
- A detailed summary of the problem
- A timeframe of when the problem occurred
or occurs.
- Detailed system specifications if
possible, including:
- the Windows version you are using
- the version of Internet Explorer
or Netscape (include cipher strength)
- the brand names of any Network
Interface Cards installed in the computer
- your processor generation and
speed
- the amount of memory installed
in your computer
- the type of Internet connection
you are using
- any other troubleshooting you
have done on your own or with our staff
You may experience problems
with TWS if you are running the software below the minimum requirements.
When troubleshooting problems, start by making sure that your computer
meets our minimum system requirements.
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Why does my browser either not load TWS properly, or close suddenly?
A) This may be a problem with Java.
B) Your browser may be outdated or corrupt.
If you are using Netscape:
- Uninstall Netscape
- Download Netscape Again
If you are using Internet Explorer:
Check the version you are using. To check the version, on the Help
menu click About.
- If you are using a version lower
than 6.0, upgrade.
- If you're using IE 6.0 or higher,
repair the install.
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Why
do I suddenly lose my Internet connection?
A. Your Internet connection may drop off due to connectivity
or Internet Service Provider (ISP)-based issues.
Consult our connectivity FAQ if you suspect if this is an issue. B.
This problem has also been known to occur with problematic Ethernet
cards. Please consult our list of known compatible Network Cards.
Why
won’t the “Trade Login” window or system status window come up?
If you’ve installed software that prevents
web window pop-ups, you will need to disable this software or allow
permission for these windows to open. For more information on this topic,
consult the documentation for the software that prevents pop-ups.
Why
do I receive the message “Page Not Found?"
This problem is typically caused by running previous versions
of Internet Explorer or Netscape. You should use IE 5.5 or Netscape
4.77 with 128 bit encryption. If you have Windows 2000, encryption is
part of the operating system and requires additional upgrades. In addition
to the browser, you will need to do one of the following upgrades: Windows
2000 high encryption pack, or Windows 2000 Service Pack 2. Installation
of either of these updates will upgrade the operating system’s encryption.
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Why
won't my login prompt show up?
This may be due to a corrupted or improper install of TWS or
the Java Applet.
- Remove all instances of Java and Trader
Workstation.
- Follow the Java Direct-download
instructions
- Download
a new version of TWS.
Outdated or corrupted browsers can cause
this to occur. If you are using Netscape:
- Uninstall Netscape
- Download Netscape again
If you are using Internet Explorer:
- If you are using a version lower than
6.0, upgrade
- If you're using 6.0 or higher, repair
the install
Or, your browser display settings may
be preventing you from viewing the entire screen.
- Using the “view” menu in your browser,
set your font size to the smallest setting.
Your browser’s cache may have a problematic
page stored in it.
- Hold down the “ctrl” key and hit “Refresh”
at the top of your browser. This will force the page to reload from
the server.
Dial-in customers or
customers with a poor connection may periodically experience problems
loading an applet through a browser. Browser download and installation
of applets tend to stall on slower connections.
- Using standalone TWS will bypass this
problem entirely.
You may be using a problematic Ethernet
card.
- Consult our list of compatible network
cards to see if your card is included.
Why is my TWS flashing a magenta grid, then trying to log back in again?
This typically occurs if:
- The connection to PTI ProDirect is
interrupted
- You are trying to log on more than
once, or have duplicate login sessions. Verify that there is only
one instance of TWS running for your account.
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Why
does it say "Logging in, Attempt 1, 2, 3 . . ."?
This indicates that you are having a problem with the workstation
getting to our servers. After it says “attempt 3” press “cancel”. This
will give you a detailed error message that you can troubleshoot below.
| Message |
Description |
Unknown
Host: Java.net |
This indicates a
problem with DNS and your Internet Provider. |
No
Route to Host |
This indicates a
problem with routing to PTI ProDirect over the Internet, from
your machine. |
Winsock
or Socket Exception |
This indicates that
the computer is having a problem creating an outbound socket
to our server. |
Connection
Timed Out |
This is a generic
error you receive when a connection attempt times out in transit. |
Why
do I only get a gray screen when I log in?
This may happen for a variety of reasons. Try the following:
-
Wait. It may take
several minutes to complete loading the trading pages, depending
on the number of pages and symbol population on the pages and your
speed of connection. Clean out ticker symbols and pages that you
no longer require.
- Reconnect to the Internet
- Check your network connection for
problems.
- Make sure your system has the proper
minimum system requirements.
- In the case that your user preference
files may have become corrupt, contact Technical Assistance for help
in resetting the information.
A corrupt Java installation
will cause this to occur. To verify that this is the problem, go
into the control panel and double-click on the Java plug-in. The
same gray screen will result if the plug-in is corrupt. If this
happens, uninstall and reinstall Java.
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Why does it stop on “Processing Security Definition Request,” or take
a long time to log in?
This may happen for a couple of reasons. Try the following:
Why
do I get a “Field n Required” error?
This indicates there is a problem with your network connection.
Refer to your system Administrator to check for latency and network
problems.
Why does my computer shut off, or give a blue screen when I run TWS?
This may be the result of a problematic
Ethernet card, or improper driver installation of display adapters.
Download the latest version of your video drivers and consult our list
of compatible network cards.
After
logging in, I only get a tan and black screen.
This occurs when the page file becomes corrupt from a disk
error. Please consult our Page File FAQ for information on how to manipulate
this file.
How
do I open the control panel?
To open the Control Panel, click Start, then
select Settings>Control Panel.
With Windows XP, click Start>Control Panel. Depending
on the version of Windows you are using, its appearance may vary slightly
from what we describe.
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How
do I uninstall software?
If you need to uninstall software, you should only do it from Add/Remove
Programs window accessible from the Control Panel. Use this window to
remove Netscape, Trader Workstation or Java, or repair Internet Explorer.
When you uninstall a program, you will usually get a confirmation message
ensuring that you do indeed want to remove the item that you have selected.
Note: Java does not support automatic upgrades. Before
you upgrade Java, you must uninstall the current version. Important:
If you are uninstalling for reinstall purposes, Windows may
ask you to restart your computer. DO NOT IGNORE THIS REQUEST. Shut down
and restart your computer to allow files to be unlocked and removed
from memory.
How do I download TWS and other applications from PTI ProDirect?
On the Software menu on the PTI ProDirect website,
select Trader
Workstation.
How
do I download from Microsoft?
Whether you’re downloading an encryption upgrade, a new browser or a
service pack, all official Windows upgrades can be acquired from
http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com/, shown above. Click on the “products
update” link on the left-hand side, select the updates you wish to install,
and follow the instructions.
Compatible Network Cards The following is a list of network
card (NIC) manufacturers whose cards PTI ProDirect customers have confirmed
work with our software:
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Java Download instructions
- Go to the java.sun.com
website.
- On the right side of the page, click
"Download J2SE v1.4 Now!"
- In the JRE column,
click the appropriate download link.
- Read the license terms and conditions
and click "Accept."
- Click the download link.
- In the "Save As" window,
save the file to your desktop.
- Once the download is complete, return
to your Desktop and double- click on the "j2re-1_4_0-win.exe"
icon to install the Java plugin.
- Read the "Software License Agreement"
and click "Yes" to continue.
- Choose a destination folder or use
the default destination and click "Next" to install the
Java plugin.
- Installation is complete. You can
now run the Java-based Trader Workstation 4.0.
Note: If
you are running a non US-English version of Windows, you need to install
the international plug-in.
How
much bandwidth does TWS require?
Depending on the amount of data you are receiving (number of
ticker symbols entered) most TWS sessions will function properly on
a reliable 33.6 connection. However, the use of other network applications
while you are using TWS may slow down your connection.
What
types of dial-up services are available?
Dial-up Internet is available in two varieties: 56k dial-up
(also known as a standard ISP connection) and Dial-up ISDN. The two
are similar in that they use a telephone line and a modem to dial in
to an Internet service provider. They are carried on different types
of lines and use different types of modems. 56k dial-up is primarily
used in the home, whereas 64k and 128k ISDN are commonly used in business
applications. Availability of different services may be limited in certain
areas; contact service providers in your area for a list of available
services.
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What
protocols and ports should my ISP allow?
TWS connects to our servers via port 4000 using a source port
in the publicly addressable space above port 1024. Our servers listen
on port 4000; TWS will not function on any other port. For users behind
firewalls, the installed version includes provisions for using a specified
outbound port. Both inbound and outbound ports need to be permissioned
for TWS to function properly.
I share
my Internet connection, will this work?
TWS will function in a shared environment, provided that a
reliable connection exists. The connection that a TWS machine receives
must have sufficient bandwidth to operate. Users should take care when
using NAT (Network Address Translation) and DHCP. While TWS will work
if NAT and/or DHCP are configured properly, data loss and unpredictable
behavior can result from improper configurations. For more information
on NAT and DHCP, review the section below on those topics.
What
types of broadband services are available?
There are many types of broadband available.
Cable, xDSL, Corporate Networks (T1, T3, Frac-T), Dial-on-demand ISDN
and Satellite are all broadband solutions. All of these services provide
much higher throughput (compared to a dial-in line) and typically use
routers or special modems to become part of a hardwired network. Some
services emulate this method rather than actually performing this way.
Availability of different services may be limited in certain areas;
contact vendors in your area for a list of available services.
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What
protocols and ports should my broadband ISP allow?
As with dial-up, TWS connects to our
servers via port 4000 using a source port in the publicly addressable
space above port 1024. Our servers listen on port 4000; it will not
function on any other port. For users behind firewalls, the installed
version of TWS includes provisions for using a specified outbound port.
Special
notice with regard to Satellite Systems: Testing
with these systems has proved inconclusive. Some satellite providers
list trading software (or anything that requires a reliable connection)
as an “at your own risk” practice. Customer feedback has indicated that
satellite services are sometimes unreliable.
How
do I know if a provider I choose will work with TWS?
As with any type of connection, be sure
the provider allows TCP/IP routing with open access to Internet service
ports. TWS connects to our servers via port 4000 using a source port
in the publicly addressable space above port 1024. Our servers listen
on port 4000; it will not function on any other port. For users behind
firewalls, the installed version of TWS includes provisions for using
a specified outbound port.
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Services and Protocols Be aware of the protocols and network
devices that may affect you. The following is information about your
TWS connection that you or your Network Administrator will want to know
when troubleshooting your connection to us.
-
DHCP (Dynamic
Host Configuration Protocol) is a way of automatically assigning
IP addresses. If your DHCP server is assigning a private address
(addresses which are not associated with the Internet) the server
may be doing NAT (Network Address Translation) to get to the outside
Internet Depending on the particular configuration, the router or
server may be trapping requests from our server to your computer.
-
TCP/IP is
the basic protocol from an Internet service provider. This, along
with DNS (Dynamic Name System) and basic socket access are all that
is required for a “functioning Internet connection” and for running
TWS software.
-
NAT (Network
Address Translation) is one of the basic components behind home
routers (and some professional private routers). Done properly this
should be transparent; the address on the outside should translate
to your internal (non-Internet) addresses without your PC knowing
the specifics of the routing.
-
IB accepts connections
on port 4000 from inbound traffic from ports 1024 or higher. This
is required for connection to our servers. If you are using a firewall,
these ports will need to be provided for within its configuration.
Contact your network administrator for more information.
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Multiple
network adapters can be problematic
Extraneous network adapters and drivers which are not connected,
are inoperative or unnecessary should be removed from your system. These
can cause unpredictable network behavior.
-
AOL and other proprietary
adapters may work fine if you have the service and are actively
using it. If, however you are not using the adapter, it may be configured
improperly and has been known to cause connectivity issues.
NDSWAN and other VPN adapters can be problematic if they are not
in use. PPPOE (Point to Point Protocol Over Ethernet) may be used
in some DSL or Cable connections; if it is not used, it may cause
problems with the connection, and should be removed.
-
Certain brands of
ethernet cards are known to have problems with their drivers and
the way they address memory. Please refer to our compatible network
card list for further information.
-
Client for Netware
Networks and IPX/SPX are protocols used in corporate Novell Networks.
If this protocol is not needed, it should be removed.
NETBEUI is a Microsoft Protocol that, as above, may be in use in
a corporate network. If it is not in use, it is better to remove
this adapter
Important:
If you are not sure about any of the adapters in your Network settings,
consult your network administrator before removing them.
Quality of service has a large affect on Internet-based applications
Latency due to physical distance from your ISP, routing within
your ISP’s network, packet loss and many other factors can affect the
reliable operation of your TWS. Please review the connectivity troubleshooting
tips below to test the quality of your connection.
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Does
IB support HTTP proxies and if so, what type?
Not for TWS. IB does support HTTP proxies for Web Trader, but
this application has limited capabilities. IB supports proxies that
can emulate open sockets.
There are some basic
commands that can be used from a DOS prompt to get more information
on your connection to a remote host. To get to a DOS prompt, go to start
and click on run. If you are using Windows 95, 98, or ME, type “command”.
If you are using Windows NT, 2000, or XP, type “cmd”. Hit OK to enter
the DOS window. From here, you can try the following to test your connection:
Ping
The Ping command will test the quality and latency of your connection.
If it shows 4 round-trip reports without a reply (does not say not found,
timed out, etc.) your connection is healthy. To use this, type ping
gw1.ibllc.com at the command prompt. A healthy ping should look as follows:
Pinging
gw1.ibllc.com [208.245.107.3] with 32 bytes of data:
Reply from 208.245.107.3: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254 Reply from
208.245.107.3: bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254 Reply from 208.245.107.3:
bytes=32 time<10ms TTL=254 Reply from 208.245.107.3: bytes=32 time<10ms
TTL=254
If the ping results show
excessive latency (>500ms), timeouts/packet loss, or no replies,
a network problem exists between you and the IB network.
Trace Route
The tracert command is used to isolate routing issues. This will show
you all of the “hops” from your connection to our network. A timeout,
indicated by “*” or time above 200, indicates a slow or dead hop and
may be a problem. Over 15 hops can also be a problem. To look at a traceroute,
type tracert gw1.ibllc.com at the command prompt.
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The following
are sample traceroutes. Included is an explanation and suggested course
of action. This traceroute is an example of a healthy connection.
The ping times and the number of hops are low (lower is better). No
course of action required.
1 gatekeeper
(206.42.160.1) 1 ms 1 ms 2 ms
2 jfk-edge-19.inet.qwest.net (63.237.128.53) 19 ms 26 ms 21 ms
3 jfk-core-03.inet.qwest.net (205.171.30.189) 22 ms 19 ms 24 ms
4 ewr-core-03.inet.qwest.net (205.171.5.89) 20 ms 19 ms 20 ms
5 ewr-brdr-01.inet.qwest.net (205.171.17.98) 20 ms 26 ms 19 ms
6 205.171.1.122 (205.171.1.122) 30 ms 20 ms 22 ms
7 sl-bb23-nyc-3-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.7.109) 20 ms 19 ms 19 ms
8 sl-bb22-pen-6-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.9.18) 25 ms 37 ms 21 ms
9 sl-bb26-pen-9-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.16.58) 21 ms 26 ms 22 ms
10 sl-gw26-pen-4-0-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.5.190) 24 ms 23 ms 24
ms
11 sl-thllc-4-0-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.190.222) 35 ms 31 ms 29
ms
12 206.106.137.111 (206.106.137.111) 28 ms 28 ms 30 ms
This is an example of
a marginal connection. The ping times and number of hops are fairly
high, but the connection should still be usable. Contact your ISP to
see if this is a common occurrence. If this is what you can expect,
you may want to shop around for another provider. Higher times indicate
line latency (slowness) and the high (17) number of ‘hops’ results in
a higher potential for outage, in the event that one of the providers
involved experiences a problem.
1 195.130.108.1
(195.130.108.1) 3.258 ms 2.325 ms 2.32 ms
2 athens-teiath-ATM.grnet.gr (194.177.209.149) 3.894 ms 3.546 ms 2.935
ms
3 athens-2-athens.grnet.gr (194.177.210.226) 3.299 ms 4.549 ms 13.643
ms
4 grnet1.uk1.uk.geant.net (62.40.103.181) 78.624 ms 72.213 ms 73.457
ms
5 uk.se1.se.geant.net (62.40.96.125) 104.912 ms 105.978 ms 104.695 ms
6 so-6-0-0.ar2.CPH1.gblx.net (208.48.23.153) 142.148 ms 115.03 ms 114.235
ms
7 so2-1-0-622M.cr2.CPH1.gblx.net (62.12.32.77) 113.658 ms 116.135 ms
114.903 ms
8 pos1-0-2488M.cr2.LON3.gblx.net (195.8.96.181) 134.768 ms 138.151 ms
132.05 ms
9 pos1-0-622M.br1.LON3.gblx.net (195.8.96.189) 130.876 ms 131.726 ms
134.405 ms
10 sl-bb21-lon-5-0.sprintlink.net (213.206.131.25) 132.904 ms 131.369
ms 134.111 ms
11 sl-bb20-msq-10-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.19.69) 209.434 ms 212.069
ms 209.79 ms
12 sl-bb20-nyc-11-3.sprintlink.net (144.232.9.102) 215.735 ms 208.302
ms 207.316 ms
13 sl-bb20-pen-10-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.18.37) 400.633 ms 352.33
ms 274.419 ms
14 sl-bb25-pen-8-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.5.174) 212.023 ms 215.237
ms 215.472 ms
15 sl-gw26-pen-0-0-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.5.186) 213.755 ms 212.104
ms 211.378 ms
16 sl-thllc-4-0-0.sprintlink.net (144.232.190.222) 218.742 ms 221.021
ms 217.51 ms
17 206.106.137.111 (206.106.137.111) 218.028 ms 222.549 ms 218.867 ms
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The next example shows
a network outage. The connection fails between hop 8 and 9. In the event
that this occurs, you should contact your ISP and give them this information.
These types of outages are very obvious and are the easiest for an ISP
to troubleshoot.
1 kauge.aso.ee
(195.80.96.219) 0.432 ms 0.323 ms 0.357 ms
2 uninet-gw.aso.ee (195.80.96.211) 1.094 ms 7.688 ms 2.332 ms
3 194.204.4.161 (194.204.4.161) 1.489 ms 1.403 ms 1.425 ms
4 kista-atm.uninet.ee (193.229.72.105) 135.413 ms 129.594 ms 136.073
ms
5 Pos5-0.GW7.STK3.ALTER.NET (146.188.34.13) 141.723 ms 140.031 ms 122.782
ms
6 so-3-0-0.XR2.STK3.Alter.Net (146.188.5.37) 113.354 ms 98.346 ms 90.857
ms
7 ge-1-0-0.TR1.STK2.Alter.Net (146.188.11.242) 94.762 ms 115.168 ms
130.034 ms
8 so-4-0-0.IR1.DCA4.Alter.Net (146.188.5.197) 257.747 ms 288.965 ms
255.057 ms
9 request timed out * * *
10 request timed out * * *
11 request timed out * * *
12 request timed out * * *
The last example is possibly
the hardest to troubleshoot and the most frustrating. The occasional
timeout (marked with *s) appears several places in the traceroute. This
indicates that intermittent packet loss is taking place. These types
of errors are elusive and may not have been reported yet. Contact your
ISP about this issue.
1 <10
ms <10 ms 10 ms 206.106.137.1
2 <10 ms 10 ms 10 ms sl-gw26-pen-5-0-1.sprintlink.net [144.232.190.21]
3 <10 ms 10 ms <10 ms sl-bb25-pen-0-7.sprintlink.net [144.232.5.185]
4 <10 ms * <10 ms sl-bb21-pen-8-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.5.237]
5 <10 ms 10 ms 10 ms sl-bb23-rly-0-0.sprintlink.net [144.232.20.32]
6 10 ms 10 ms * 144.232.20.44
7 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms sl-ameronl-14-0.sprintlink.net [144.223.246.14]
8 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms bb1-ash-P1-0.atdn.net [66.185.139.209]
9 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms bb1-dtc-P0-2.atdn.net [66.185.152.114]
10 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms pop1-dtc-P14-0.atdn.net [66.185.140.6]
11 * 10 ms 10 ms ow3-dtc-P0-0.atdn.net [66.185.144.254]
12 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms ow1-dtc-P9-2.aol.com [205.188.131.218]
13 10 ms 10 ms 10 ms www2-dr6-P0-0.aol.com [205.188.172.126]
14 * * * Request timed out.
When
I have a problem, how do I show you what I’m seeing?
Create a snapshot of your computer screen and e-mail it to
Help@PTIProDirect.com.
- Launch the window that you want to
capture, and press Alt + PrtScrn (Print Screen). You can't tell, but
you've just captured a picture of your screen.
- Open a new MS Word document, put your
cursor on the page and select Edit > Paste.
- Name and save
the file, and send it to Help@PTIProDirect.com
as an attachment, along with a detailed verbal
description of your support issue.
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I
want to delete my cookies. Can this cause problems?
We do not recommend deleting cookies. Windows issues a warning before
deleting cookies because of data loss that can occur. Deleting them
will produce side affects and must be done at your own risk.
Restarting your computer
and networking hardware will reduce the possibility that you’re having
a problem locally. Please shut down your computer, restart (turn off
and turn back on) any router or modem (ISDN, DSL, Cable, Satellite)
and turn the PC back on before contacting support about a technical
issue. This is a suggested fix for most broadband providers and has
been known to fix simple end-computer errors.
Is
this a problem with only your computer?
Try logging in and testing with another computer that you know
works (with the same account) to see if the problem is the same on both
computers.
Does
this only happen with your account?
If you have multiple Accounts, try another one of your accounts
on your machine. If you don’t have a second account, try using our demo
system, or having a friend try their account on your machine will help
to determine if there is a common issue among accounts (or systems)
and where that problem may be.
Does your problem occur with both the standalone and the browser-based
versions?
Trying both systems may indicate that the problem is with a
component installed on your computer or somewhere else.
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