1) Optimal computer and Internet Performance
Reboot your computer daily for optimal performance and to clear cache.
Also while rebooting unplug and replug in your router to ensure your internet has optimal performance. Yes this really does help i promise.
Download the Internet Connectivity Monitor to ensure you have stable internet connectivity (internet loss can cause tick data to be missed therefore resulting in your charts not aligning.) Make sure it is always on. Just have it to connect to Google as they are always up, so it will be a great way to ensure whether or not you have a internet connection issue.
2) Correct Time On Clocks
It is absolutely vital is to make sure your clock is perfectly synced and set to Eastern Time.
You can use a different time zone but then your changing a variable so that could make things look differently, (most programs like email etc.. you can set your local time zone in despite what your computer time zone is.) Also, its much harder to share charts and compare charts in various time zones. Change your computer to ET, clear your NinjaTrader cache and then close re-open NinjaTrader. Going forward, NinjaTrader will open in ET.
If your clock is out of sync, that can make things different as bars/minutes can have different start and stop times by being out of whack on your clock. Often this is so negligible you can't even notice it.
Even a second, sometimes milliseconds can make a big difference.
2 methods (I use both)
A) Windows Settings: Follow steps on this thread: SYNC clock with out a 3rd party PROGRAM
B) Use this free tool at Exact Clock Sync Automation: Essential
Its a free automated sync software. If you like it, donate $10 to them to thank them for making it - its worth it i use it on my computers
No matter how accurate you think your computer is, EVERYONE no matter what should have clock sync on your computer. As a trader, you don't want your clock off by even a millisecond.
These are the settings i use:
It auto syncs every 15 minutes.
3) Correct Data Options in NinjaTrader
In NinjaTrader - Go To tools options data and make sure they match these settings:
4) Correct Data feeds
The only 3 data feeds i use are AMP/CQG, FXCM, and IQFeed - as I have found they provide the fastest and most accurate unfiltered tick data.
Ensure data is NOT set to connect on startup in the data connection settings
Always connect AMP/CQG, then FXCM, then IQFEED.
I don't use TOS, Interactive Brokers, Rhythmic etc..FOR MY NinjaTrader data feeds. You can use various feeds for say execution brokers but not as data feed (ie connect to data feeds we suggest then connect to broker after you have connected to data feed) If you use some other data feed then we will assume that is the reason your data feed is different than others. Notice Kinetick DOES NOT have ICE so you can't use it to trade TF.
5) Clean and Correct Data EVERY day
You are using tick data (ie on diagnostic bars or any bar type even on volume this can be impacted on minute bars as volume is tick based) so you MUST clearing your db/cache folder DAILY.
Go to My Documents/NinjaTrader/DB and delete the cache folder everyday BEFORE you open NinjaTrader
Just a few ticks lost etc.. can mess up your chart buy a small amount. And sometimes a small amount is the difference between a win and a loss. So take the 3 seconds this takes and do it 1x a day first thing.
6) Make sure you have the newest Apex toolkit version installed
Simply click on the toolkit and open it in your windows start menu or on your desktop and it will show you the date of the latest update.
7) Make sure you have the newest NinjaTrader version installed
Go to Help > About in NinjaTrader and you will see the version at the top.
To help license key and enter you key on the download page of NinjaTrader and you will see the latest available version.
8) Make sure your internet is stable
Though it may appear your internet is stable any packet loss can change the data sent to your chart live. And then refreshing it will fix it. This is easily noticeable in volume as you could have 10,000 contracts easily in a single tick but a small packet loss could mean 500 contracts. Download this free tool here and set it to monitor connectivity to google.com every second. Internet Connectivity Monitor
Today I tried to go to the trading room. I couldn't the screen told me to submit a ticket in reference to my account. Thank you for any help you can give me.
i recently just purchased a new computer and sold my old one and ive downloaded apex toolkit 2 times already in which i still have it on 1 of the computers ..i had 2 computers and sold one... i recently just purchased the new voyager laptop from ez trading computers and needed to download tool kit but its saying i used the max usage ...how can obtain another download?