My brokerage connection is missing

[jujubee]

When I go to connections, my ninjatrader brokerage connection is missing. It is not even in the menu bar under "available" or "configured". Where did it go??

[NinjaTrader_ChristopherJ]

Hello jujubee,

The most common reason is that a firewall, antivirus or other protection software on your PC or on the network your computer is on is preventing a connection to the licensing servers.

First please reset your dns with the steps below.

• Go to the Windows menu
• Type CMD
• Right click on Command Prompt->Run as administrator
• Type ipconfig /flushdns then hit Enter
• Once finished close this window
• Open NinjaTrader

If this does not resolve the errors please shut down your PC then reboot your modem, restart your PC and let me know if you can then test your connection again.

If the issue persists close NinjaTrader then disable any firewalls, also anti-virus or other protection software you may have running and close all other applications you may have running on your PC at this time then test once again.

[bltdavid]

When I go to connections, my ninjatrader brokerage connection is missing. It is not even in the menu bar under "available" or "configured". Where did it go??

Hmm, now that seems odd.

It may also mean that your Config.xml file no longer contains that particular
set of connection information.

Have you restored from a previous old backup where that particular
connection had not been created yet?

If you have made regular backups, the opposite approach may be
available to you -- I mean, there should be an older backup whereby
the Config.xml does have that brokerage connection defined. You
can try restoring just that file and see if that makes a difference.

If all else fails, you can certainly create a new connection using
your brokerage login credentials.

[bltdavid]

The most common reason is that a firewall, antivirus or other protection software on your PC or on the network your computer is on is preventing a connection to the licensing servers.

Could you expand a little more on this?

Are you saying that an inability to connect to the licensing servers
will prevent certain menu items in the Connections menu from being
populated?

Sounds oddly unrelated ... but I digress.

If there is an inability to connect to the licensing servers, wouldn't
there be a specific error message that would confirm that problem?

When you say 'licensing servers', are these the servers that authenicate
the NinjaTrader license key? My understanding is: if that server cannot
be reached, the entire software product does not work, but there are
plenty of error messages/notices advising the user of that problem.

I mean, I'm surprised you didn't tell OP to look for error messages
in the Log tab.

Your answer confuses me, and I was hoping for some more insight
and additional explanation.

Thanks.

[NinjaTrader_ChristopherJ]

If a configuration file does not contain a connection any longer if the connection is attempted to be recreated if the license key can be verified against the licensing server the connection technology would be listed in the "Available" list, which in this case is not listed. Keep in mind when this occurs the platform will still be able to open.

When using an old configuration file from a backup if the license cannot be verified the same would apply and the connection would not be listed.

When the license key is verified against our servers this will dictate which brokerage connection technologies are authorized for the license key being used within the platform.

[jujubee]

I am not technical at all. All these reponses confuses the heck out of me. How can I get this fixed? Is there someone I can talk to?

[bltdavid]

All these reponses confuses the heck out of me. How can I get this fixed?

You're not alone, Chris's explanation is an incomprehensible mess.

-=o=-

Do you still have your userid/password for your brokerage credentials?

Does the Connections dropdown menu show 'configure' in the lower right?

Do you see 'NinjaTrader Continuum' as an available connection option?
If so, have you tried just re-adding the connection?

Have you tried calling NinjaTrader Brokerage directly?
(Hopefully, a broker there should be able to help get you connected.)

[bltdavid]

By any chance,
Do any error messages appear in the Log tab?

[This is the most basic obvious question Support has not asked you.]

[bltdavid]

What happened after you followed all the steps in the post #2 above?

[NinjaTrader_ChristopherJ]

So I may look into this further please go to Help->Email Support and be sure to include Attn: Chris Jameson in the Subject line, a link to this thread in the body and a check in the box for "Log and trace files".

[jujubee]

The connections dropdown does have configure in the lower corner. But Ninjatrader Continuum isn't even an option anymore to choose from. It's completely gone.

[jujubee]

Email to support has been sent

[NinjaTrader_ChristopherJ]

Thank you for forwarding me your information. It appears the issue is due the license key you are currently using is only authorized for use with Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage and your Apex Trading account. I have forwarded your information to our Sales Team and someone will follow up shortly with your live license key which will then give you access to your NinjaTrader Continuum connection for use with your NinjaTrader Brokerage account.

[bltdavid]

I think the summary below is correct, NT Support can confirm
the details. If necessary, I'll update this summary to reflect
any changes that are needed.

-=o=-

A Multi-Broker license key allows you to see all available
connection types at the same time -- otherwise, you'll
only see one available connection type -- meaning you'll
have to email NT support each time you wish to change it.

[EDIT: By 'connection type' I mean a broker connection type,
not something like IQFeed or Kinetick.]

[EDIT-2: Yes, yes, yes, Rithmic and CQG and Continuum
are not brokers. These companies are broker technology
providers and they offer order feed and data feed connections
to their corporate brokerage customers. The brokerage firm
then offers the human trading customer an account with a set
of login credentials that connect into the broker's technology
system. In the case of brokers like NinjaTrader Brokerage,
Apex, Leeloo, and TopStep, the broker's actual technology
system happens to be coming from (er, leased from) a broker
technology provider.]

[EDIT-3: This discussion pertains to paid license keys only.
It does not pertain to the free license keys from a funding
broker, or demo license keys from NinjaTrader.]

The waters get muddy when you switch from Continuum
to Rithmic, or vice versa, because only previously configured
connections matching an available connection type are shown
to you. Thus, after you switch your key to Rithmic, you'll no
longer see your previous Continuum connection [because
the only available broker connection type has changed to
Rithmic].

I mean, if you email NT support and change your S/B
license key from Continuum to Rithmic, your previously
created NinjaTrader Continuum connection becomes
'hidden' -- it's not been deleted, just hidden -- because
now only Rithmic connections are shown.

[Where did it go? It's still there inside your Config.xml
file -- edit this file with notepad and you'll see it.]

If you email NT support and change your license key
back to Continuum, your previous NinjaTrader Continuum
connection should 'magically' re-appear.

-=o=-

Let's re-summarize by starting from Single-Broker license
point of view, which is what most people have.

With a Single-Broker license key, you'll see one and
only one available broker connection type, such as,
Rithmic for NinjaTrader Broker, or
NinjaTrader Continuum, or
etc etc
which one you actually see is set by you but stored
in NT's license server. So, if you want to change it,
you'll need to email support and tell them which one
you want. There's no self-service here, no self-help
web page to select your broker. You have to email
support every time you switch brokers, so that they
can change your broker connection type in the NT
license server, so that NT8 software can show you
the one (and only one) available broker connection
type you are allowed to see.

Kind of a pain, right?
Well, I suppose the theory is that most people don't
change brokers that often, so this inconvenience is
expected to be a relatively rare experience.

If desired, you could bypass this limitation by buying
a Multi-Broker license key and you will see all available
broker connection types at the same time, allowing
you to create as many connections as you wish of
what ever type you want -- but, buyer beware, the
act of actually connecting to all of them at the same
time has its own set of limitations.

[bltdavid]

I should also point out that some funding brokers offer their
customers a free NinjaTrader license key that is specific to
that broker.

For ex, the free NinjaTrader license keys for Apex users usually
embed words like 'APEX TRADER FUNDING' as part of the license
key, whereas Leeloo license keys embed words like 'LEELOO
TRADER'. You'll need a paid subscription with these funding
brokers to get access to a free NinjaTrader license key.

The point is, these keys are specific to the funding broker. They
are a feature of the broker's service to their customer -- the free
license key is a 'perk' to help lure customers [because the free
license key can save the expense of purchasing it, which can
lower the entry barrier for a brand new customer.]

Changing the license key inside the NinjaTrader software to one
of these broker provided license keys is not strictly necessary if
you have already purchased a license key from NinjaTrader.

For ex, if you have a paid license key, then Apex, Leeloo, and
TopStep customers can email NT support and ask to change
their broker connection for their paid license key to Rithmic.
When you've finished your journey with a funded account, say
because you want to switch to a NinjaTrader Brokerage account,
you can email NT support and change your broker connection
type to Continuum.

The point is:
A paid license key is under your total control, you just have to
email NT support and tell them which broker you want, Using
a broker provided free license key means that key is always
locked to a certain broker technology provider (eg, Rithmic)
and is no longer a valid license if you stop trading that account.

And, yes, thankfully, a Multi-Broker license key bypasses all
the fuss because it removes all these restrictions and allows
you to stop caring about this topic completely.