TradingBoss VPS Setup Guide (ChartVPS + Remote Desktop)

Welcome. This guide is for complete beginners who have never used a VPS before.

If “VPS” sounds technical or intimidating, that’s normal. The good news: once you understand what it is, it becomes simple. A VPS is not “mystical trading infrastructure.” It’s just a Windows computer that you control… except it lives in a data center and stays on 24/7.

TradingBoss strategies are designed to run continuously and reliably. The VPS is what makes that possible.

✅ IMPORTANT UPDATE (READ THIS FIRST)

TradingBoss strategies now auto-refresh daily, so you do not need a daily morning routine like disconnect/reconnect or strategy restarts.

Your VPS should be treated as an “always-on machine”:

• You set it up once

• You enable your strategies

• You leave it running

You only intervene if there’s an error or connection issue.

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What You’ll Learn

By the end of this guide, you will know how to:

• Understand what a VPS is (in plain English)

• Why a VPS is required for automated trading

• Why we recommend ChartVPS specifically

• Log into your VPS using Remote Desktop

• Navigate Windows on a VPS (it’s still Windows)

• Find and open NinjaTrader

• Confirm TradingBoss strategies are installed

• Follow VPS best practices that prevent 90% of beginner issues

• Troubleshoot common problems (can’t connect, slow VPS, disconnect fears)

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What Is a VPS? (Beginner Explanation)

A VPS (Virtual Private Server) is a computer that runs in a professional data center instead of sitting in your bedroom or office.

The simplest analogy

Think of a VPS like a rented apartment for your trading software:

• Your home computer = your personal house (you might turn it off, Wi-Fi drops, Windows updates, your laptop sleeps)

• Your VPS = a small, reliable apartment in a building designed to stay powered on all the time (data center)

You can “visit” the VPS anytime using Remote Desktop, like opening a window into that machine. But even when you leave, the VPS stays running.

Why that matters for TradingBoss

TradingBoss strategies run inside NinjaTrader. NinjaTrader must be open, and the strategies must remain enabled to trade.

If your home computer:

• restarts for an update,

• goes to sleep,

• loses internet,

• crashes,

• gets shut down…

…your bots stop. That can cause missed trades, licensing issues, connection issues, or incomplete sessions.

A VPS removes most of those risks.

📝 Note

A VPS does not guarantee you’ll never have issues.

It just reduces the most common causes of “my bot stopped” by a huge amount.

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Why a VPS Is Required (Not Optional)

If you are running automated strategies with real money or prop firm accounts, you want the environment to be:

• Stable

• Always on

• Not dependent on your home internet

• Not dependent on your laptop battery

• Not dependent on you remembering to open things

Automation is only “set and forget” if the computer running the automation is also “set and forget.”

The hidden beginner problem: Sleep mode

Many beginners try to run bots on a home PC and don’t realize:

• Windows may sleep after 15–60 minutes

• Laptop lids cause sleep mode

• Power-saving modes throttle performance

• Wi-Fi drops are invisible until it’s too late

Your chart might look fine at 9:00 AM, but at 10:30 AM the PC sleeps and nothing trades.

A VPS avoids that.

What about leaving my home PC on?

You can, but it’s still risky:

• Home internet is not designed for 24/7 uptime

• Power outages happen

• Windows updates happen

• Your computer might freeze or throttle

• You might accidentally close NinjaTrader

If you’re serious about automation, the VPS is part of the system.

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Why We Recommend ChartVPS

There are many VPS providers. We recommend ChartVPS because it’s designed for trading platforms like NinjaTrader.

Here’s what “optimized for trading” usually means in practice:

• Better reliability for always-on software

• More predictable performance for charts/data

• Configurations commonly used by traders (not random web hosting VPS setups)

• Often pre-configured in ways that reduce setup friction

💡 Tip

Even if you don’t use ChartVPS, this guide still applies.

The steps are almost identical across VPS providers.

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Your VPS Login Info (Where to Find It)

When you purchase a VPS, you typically receive an email with:

• IP address (example: 123.45.67.89)

• Username (often Administrator or a custom user)

• Password

• Sometimes a port (most commonly not needed)

⚠️ Warning

Keep VPS credentials somewhere safe.

If you lose them, you can still recover them through the VPS provider dashboard, but it slows everything down.

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Step-by-Step: Logging Into Your VPS (Remote Desktop)

You connect to your VPS using Remote Desktop Protocol (RDP).

Remote Desktop is basically a “live video + keyboard/mouse” connection to your VPS.

You are not streaming it like YouTube—you are controlling it like you are sitting in front of it.

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Step 1 — Open Remote Desktop

If you are on Windows (most common)

1. Click the Start menu

2. Type: Remote Desktop Connection

3. Open it

What you should see:

A small window with fields like:

• Computer

• User name

• Connect button

If you are on Mac

1. Install/open Microsoft Remote Desktop (from the App Store)

2. Add a new PC connection

3. Enter IP + credentials

What you should see:

A Microsoft Remote Desktop app window where you can click your saved VPS connection.

📝 Note

The visuals differ slightly between Windows and Mac, but the inputs are the same:

• IP address

• username

• password

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Step 2 — Enter Your VPS IP Address

1. Copy your VPS IP address from the email/dashboard

2. Paste it into the “Computer” field

3. Click Connect

💡 Tip

Copy/paste is your best friend here.

One wrong digit in the IP = it fails.

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Step 3 — Enter Credentials

You’ll see a login prompt.

1. Enter Username

2. Enter Password

3. Click OK/Continue

If you get a security warning like:

• “The identity of the remote computer cannot be verified”

That’s common for first-time connections.

✅ Click Yes / Continue.

✅ Success Indicator

A Windows desktop appears and you can move the mouse around and open programs.

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Navigating Windows on a VPS (It’s Still Windows)

Once you’re connected, your VPS is just a Windows computer.

What feels different (and why)

• Mouse movement may feel slightly delayed (normal)

• Screen may look “smaller” or blurry at first

• Some keyboard shortcuts behave differently depending on Remote Desktop settings

This is normal. Don’t panic.

Basic things you should know

• Start Menu works normally

• Taskbar works normally

• File Explorer works normally

• Restart works normally (but you should avoid restarting unless needed)

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Understanding “Disconnect” vs “Shut Down” (This Matters A LOT)

This is one of the biggest beginner fears:

“If I close Remote Desktop, will my bots stop?”

Answer: No — disconnecting does NOT stop the VPS.

Here’s the difference:

Action	What it does	Does NinjaTrader keep running?
Disconnect (close RDP window)	You stop viewing the VPS	✅ Yes
Sign out	Logs out your Windows session	⚠️ Usually stops your apps
Restart	Reboots the VPS	❌ No (everything closes)
Shut down	Turns off the VPS	❌ No (everything stops)

✅ Rule of thumb

When you’re done checking your bots, you should disconnect, not sign out or shut down.

What “disconnect” looks like

You simply close the Remote Desktop window (click the X), or use the app’s disconnect option.

That’s it.

Your VPS stays running and your strategies keep operating.

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Finding and Opening NinjaTrader on Your VPS

TradingBoss runs in NinjaTrader. The VPS is just the place where NinjaTrader stays open.

Step 1 — Look for the NinjaTrader Icon

On the VPS desktop, you might see an icon labeled:

• NinjaTrader 8

• or just NinjaTrader

Double-click it.

Screenshot description (what you should expect)

You should see a window titled Control Center with menus like:

• File

• Connections

• New

• Tools

• Workspaces

If NinjaTrader opens but you don’t see Control Center, it may be minimized in the taskbar.

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Step 2 — Confirm TradingBoss Strategies Are Installed

This step prevents a painful situation: You set everything up, then realize the strategies aren’t even there.

To confirm:

1. In Control Center, click New → Chart

2. On the chart, right-click → Strategies

3. Look in the strategy list for the TradingBoss strategies:

✅ You should see ONLY these five (and you should use only these five):

• FastPass

• MONEYBAGS

• Blitz

• Pulse

• 60M (TradingBoss60MES)

✅ Success Indicator

You can find your chosen strategy in the list and it can be added to a chart.

⚠️ If you do NOT see them

That means NinjaTrader does not currently have the TradingBoss strategy files imported/installed.

Do this:

1. Take a screenshot of the Strategies list

2. Contact support with: “Strategies not visible in NinjaTrader”

Do not continue with setup until this is fixed.

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VPS Best Practices (These Prevent Most Problems)

This section is not fluff. These rules prevent the most common “my bot stopped” situations.

1) Never Shut Down the VPS (Unless Support Tells You To)

Shutting down stops everything:

• NinjaTrader closes

• Strategies stop

• Connections drop

• You might miss the next session

If you want the bots running 24/7, the VPS must remain on 24/7.

⚠️ Warning

Many beginners accidentally click “Shut down” thinking it’s the same as disconnect.

It is not.

What to do instead

• Just disconnect Remote Desktop.

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2) Don’t Install Random Software

A VPS is not your personal gaming PC.

Installing extra software can:

• slow performance

• create popups

• trigger antivirus scans

• cause Windows instability

• introduce updates that restart your VPS

💡 Tip

The safest VPS is a boring VPS.

NinjaTrader + broker connection + TradingBoss strategies — that’s the core.

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3) Keep the VPS Clean and Organized

This is about reducing mistakes when you’re moving fast.

Recommended:

• Save your workspace in NinjaTrader (so charts return)

• Keep a text file with your logins (securely)

• Don’t clutter the desktop with random downloads

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4) Understand Updates and Restarts

Sometimes Windows will show update prompts.

Here’s the beginner-safe approach:

• Do not restart during market hours

• If you must restart, do it when your strategies are not expected to trade

• If you see repeated forced update prompts, ask support for best practices

📝 Note

A restart is not evil. It’s just disruptive if you do it at the wrong time.

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5) What to Do If the VPS Seems Slow

Slow VPS is usually caused by one of these:

• Too many open charts/programs

• Too many browser tabs inside the VPS

• RDP connection quality (your home internet)

• VPS plan resources (CPU/RAM)

Quick “speed reset” checklist (safe)

1. Close extra browser tabs (if any)

2. Minimize charts you don’t need to look at

3. Check if Windows is running updates in the background

4. Disconnect and reconnect Remote Desktop (sometimes improves responsiveness)

✅ If you disconnect RDP, your bots continue running.

You are not “turning it off.” You are simply reconnecting your viewing window.

If the VPS is still slow

• It might be a plan limitation.

• Or a temporary data center load issue.

At that point:

• Take a screenshot of Task Manager (CPU/RAM)

• Contact VPS provider or TradingBoss support (depending on what’s slow)

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6) How to Tell If Your VPS Is Still Running

This is another beginner worry:

“What if it stopped when I wasn’t looking?”

Here are simple ways to know:

Option A — Reconnect

If you can reconnect and see NinjaTrader open, it’s running.

Option B — Check “Last login”

Some VPS dashboards show uptime or last activity.

Option C — Inside Windows

Open Task Manager and look for:

• NinjaTrader process running

• Normal CPU usage (not pinned at 100%)

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What Happens If You Disconnect Remote Desktop?

This is so important it’s worth repeating clearly:

✅ Disconnecting Remote Desktop does NOT stop your VPS.

Your VPS keeps running. NinjaTrader keeps running. Strategies keep running.

Think of Remote Desktop like looking through a window.

Closing the window doesn’t turn off the building.

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A Beginner-Safe Daily Check (30 Seconds)

Even though TradingBoss is “set and forget,” it’s smart to do a quick glance check.

When you connect to the VPS:

1. Is NinjaTrader open?

2. Is Control Center connected (green)?

3. Do charts update (candles moving)?

4. Do strategies show normal status (SCANNING / ACTIVE / WARMUP)?

If yes → disconnect and move on with your day.

💡 Tip

Checking does not mean “managing.”

It’s just making sure your system is healthy.

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Troubleshooting VPS Issues (By Symptom)

This section is designed so you can act fast without guessing.

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Symptom: “I can’t connect to the VPS”

What it looks like

• Remote Desktop says it can’t reach the computer

• Black screen / connection failed

• Timeout

Possible causes

• You typed the IP wrong

• Your internet is down

• VPS provider is doing maintenance

• Firewall/network block (rare but possible)

Step-by-step fix

1. Re-copy the IP address and paste it again (don’t type it)

2. Confirm your internet works (open a website on your local machine)

3. Try again after 2 minutes (temporary network hiccups happen)

4. If it still fails:

   • Log into your VPS provider dashboard

   • Check if the VPS status says “Running”

5. If dashboard says running but you still can’t connect:

   • Contact the VPS provider support first (they control the server connection layer)

📝 What to send support

Screenshot of the Remote Desktop error + your VPS provider name.

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Symptom: “It connected, but it’s a black screen”

Possible causes

• Display driver session issue

• RDP session didn’t load correctly

• Temporary Windows lock screen glitch

Step-by-step fix

1. Wait 20–30 seconds (sometimes it loads slowly)

2. Press Ctrl + Alt + End (Remote Desktop equivalent of Ctrl+Alt+Del)

3. Choose “Task Manager”

4. If nothing happens:

   • Disconnect and reconnect

If it continues repeatedly, ask the VPS provider to reset the session from their side.

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Symptom: “The VPS is extremely laggy”

Possible causes

• Your home internet is weak at the moment

• VPS CPU/RAM is overloaded

• Too many open programs/charts

• Windows update running

Step-by-step fix

1. Close unnecessary programs (especially browsers)

2. Open Task Manager → Performance

3. If CPU is pinned near 100%:

   • Wait a minute (could be a temporary spike)

   • If it stays pinned, restart only if needed (and ideally outside trade windows)

4. Disconnect/reconnect RDP (often improves responsiveness)

⚠️ Warning

Don’t panic and start clicking random things rapidly.

Lag can cause mis-clicks like shutting down or signing out.

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Symptom: “I accidentally signed out / restarted the VPS”

Don’t worry. This happens.

What it means

• NinjaTrader closed

• Strategies stopped

• You need to reopen and confirm everything is back

Fix

1. Log back in

2. Open NinjaTrader

3. Load your workspace

4. Confirm connection is green

5. Confirm strategies are enabled

✅ Good news

TradingBoss strategies auto-refresh daily now.

You don’t need a daily routine, but after a restart you do need to ensure things are running again.

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Symptom: “NinjaTrader is missing / not opening”

Possible causes

• Not installed (rare with trading VPS setups)

• Shortcut broken

• Windows user permissions issue

Fix steps

1. Use Windows search (Start menu) and type “NinjaTrader”

2. If it appears, open it from there

3. If it does not appear:

   • NinjaTrader may not be installed

   • Contact your VPS provider or TradingBoss support depending on your setup

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VPS Security Basics (Simple but Important)

This is not about paranoia. It’s about not creating easy problems.

Password handling

• Don’t share your VPS login with random people

• Don’t store passwords in plain text on your desktop

• If you must store logins, use a password manager or secure note

Session safety

• Disconnect when done

• Don’t leave RDP open on public computers

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Summary

You now understand the VPS foundation:

• A VPS is an always-on Windows computer in a data center

• You connect via Remote Desktop, but disconnecting does not stop it

• NinjaTrader runs inside the VPS

• TradingBoss strategies should be visible and ready inside NinjaTrader

• Best practice is to keep the VPS running continuously and keep it clean

• Most issues come from accidental shutdowns, restarts, or connection confusion—and you now know how to avoid and fix those

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Next Steps

Now that you can reliably access the VPS and open NinjaTrader:

1. Go to broker-connection.md next

   You’ll learn how to connect Tradovate vs Rithmic properly, what the green/yellow/red indicators mean, and how to verify data is flowing.

2. Then go to strategy-setup.md

   This is where you’ll build the exact chart + instrument + timeframe and apply your chosen TradingBoss strategy step-by-step.

When you’re ready, reply: next