TradingBoss Broker Connection Guide (Tradovate + Rithmic in NinjaTrader)

Connecting your broker inside NinjaTrader is the step that makes everything “real.”

• Without a broker connection, your charts may freeze or show stale data.

• Your prop firm accounts won’t appear (you’ll only see SIM).

• Strategies can’t place trades even if they’re enabled.

If you’re new, this is the part that can feel confusing because there are multiple names involved (Apex, Tradovate, Rithmic, NinjaTrader). Once you understand the structure, it becomes straightforward.

✅ IMPORTANT UPDATE

TradingBoss strategies now auto-refresh daily.

That means you do NOT need a daily morning routine (disconnect/reconnect every day). You only need to intervene if:

• your connection is red (failed),

• your chart is frozen/not updating,

• your accounts are missing,

• or you see errors in the Output/Log.

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What You’ll Learn

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

• Understand the 3-layer structure (Prop Firm → Broker → Platform) with a simple analogy

• Know whether you have Tradovate or Rithmic

• Add and configure a connection inside NinjaTrader (step-by-step)

• Enter credentials correctly and understand what each field means

• Read connection indicators: green / yellow / red / gray

• Verify that:

  • your accounts appear,

  • your data is flowing,

  • and your charts are updating

• Fix the most common connection problems (wrong creds, wrong connection type, maintenance, firewall/network issues)

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The 3-Layer Structure (Prop Firm → Broker → Platform)

This is the most important concept to “unstick” beginners.

The simple model

1. Prop Firm (example: Apex)

   Funds the account and sets the rules (profit target, drawdown, payouts).

2. Broker / Data Provider (Tradovate or Rithmic)

   Provides:

   • market data (price updates),

   • order routing (sending trades),

   • and the “handshake” that proves your account is valid.

3. Platform (NinjaTrader)

   Where you:

   • view charts,

   • run strategies (bots),

   • and control automation.

The analogy (easy to remember)

Think of it like a phone plan:

• Prop Firm = the company paying your bill (funding your trading)

• Broker = the cell network (the thing that actually connects you to the “market signal”)

• NinjaTrader = your smartphone (the interface where everything happens)

If your phone has no signal (broker connection), it doesn’t matter how good your apps are—nothing works.

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Tradovate vs Rithmic (What They Are + How to Know Which You Have)

Most TradingBoss customers will use one of these.

Tradovate (common, especially with Apex Tradovate accounts)

Tradovate is a broker/data provider that many prop firms use because it connects cleanly to platforms.

You likely have Tradovate if:

• Your prop firm account says “Tradovate”

• You received a Tradovate username/password

• You can log into a Tradovate dashboard/app with those credentials

Rithmic (common with certain account types)

Rithmic is another broker/data provider with its own infrastructure.

You likely have Rithmic if:

• Your prop firm account says “Rithmic”

• You received “Rithmic credentials”

• Your account setup references Rithmic servers/environments

Quick decision table

Question	If YES → You probably have
My prop firm purchase says “Tradovate account”	Tradovate
My login works on a Tradovate web/app portal	Tradovate
My prop firm email says “Rithmic username/password”	Rithmic
My setup references “Rithmic servers” or “Rithmic environment”	Rithmic

📝 Note

If you’re unsure, don’t guess. Check your prop firm dashboard purchase details or the email they sent you.

The wrong connection type is one of the #1 reasons beginners see “red connection.”

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Before You Begin (Pre-Flight Checklist)

Do this checklist first. It prevents frustration later.

✅ You should have:

• Your broker type identified (Tradovate or Rithmic)

• Your broker username + password

• Access to your VPS (recommended) with NinjaTrader installed

• NinjaTrader Control Center open

• A stable internet connection on the VPS

💡 Tip

If you can log into your broker’s website/app using the same credentials, that strongly confirms your username/password are correct. If you can’t log in there, NinjaTrader won’t be able to log in either.

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Where Connections Live in NinjaTrader

In NinjaTrader 8, connections are managed from Control Center.

Screenshot description: Control Center

You should see a window titled Control Center with a top menu including:

• File

• Connections

• New

• Tools

• Workspaces

Connections are controlled in the Connections menu.

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Step-by-Step: Connecting in NinjaTrader (The Safe Beginner Method)

There are two parts:

1. Create/Configure the connection (one-time setup)

2. Connect (turn it on)

If you already see a working Tradovate/Rithmic connection in the Connections menu, you might only need to connect. But beginners should still read the configure steps so you understand what you’re looking at.

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Part A — Configure a New Connection (One-Time Setup)

Step A1 — Open the Connections Configuration Screen

1. In Control Center, click Connections

2. Click Configure… (or “Connection Options” depending on your build)

What you should see:

A window listing saved connections on the left, with buttons like:

• Add

• Remove

• Modify / Edit

✅ Success Indicator

You are looking at a “Connections” configuration panel where you can add or edit providers.

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Part B — Tradovate Connection Setup (Step-by-Step)

📝 Note

The exact field labels can vary slightly depending on NinjaTrader version, but the structure is always the same:

• provider selection

• username/password

• environment (live/demo, if applicable)

• connection name

Step B1 — Add a Tradovate Connection

1. In the Connections configuration window, click Add

2. Select Tradovate as the provider type

3. Name the connection something obvious, like:

   • Tradovate - Apex

   • Tradovate - MyAccount

Step B2 — Enter Credentials Carefully

You will typically see fields like:

• Username

  Your Tradovate username (exactly as provided)

• Password

  Your Tradovate password (case-sensitive)

• Connection Name / Alias

  Just a label for you. It doesn’t affect trading.

⚠️ Common Mistake

Mixing up “prop firm portal login” vs “broker login.”

Apex (prop firm) login is NOT always the same as Tradovate (broker) login. Use the credentials specifically labeled for Tradovate.

Step B3 — Save the Connection

1. Click OK / Apply

2. Close the configuration window

✅ Success Indicator

You can now see your Tradovate connection listed under Connections in Control Center.

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Part C — Rithmic Connection Setup (Step-by-Step)

Rithmic connections often have an extra concept: environment/server (for example, “Demo” vs “Live” or a specific system name). Your prop firm typically tells you what environment to use.

Step C1 — Add a Rithmic Connection

1. Control Center → Connections → Configure…

2. Click Add

3. Select Rithmic (or similarly named provider)

4. Name it clearly, like:

   • Rithmic - Apex

   • Rithmic - MyAccount

Step C2 — Enter Rithmic Credentials

You’ll typically see fields like:

• Username (Rithmic username)

• Password (Rithmic password)

• System / Server / Environment (this is important)

⚠️ Common Mistake

Choosing the wrong environment.

If your prop firm issued a specific environment, use that one. If you choose the wrong one, NinjaTrader may connect “halfway” (yellow → red) or connect but show no accounts.

Step C3 — Save the Connection

1. Click OK / Apply

2. Close configuration

✅ Success Indicator

You can now see the Rithmic connection under Connections in Control Center.

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Step-by-Step: Actually Connecting (Turning It On)

Once the connection exists, connecting is simple.

Step 1 — Connect

1. In Control Center, click Connections

2. Click your connection name (Tradovate or Rithmic)

What you should see:

A small connection status indicator appears.

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Understanding Connection Indicators (Green / Yellow / Red / Gray)

These colors tell you exactly what is happening.

Gray

Meaning: Not connected to anything.

No data, no accounts, no trading.

What you do: Click your connection to connect.

Yellow

Meaning: NinjaTrader is attempting to connect.

This is normal for 5–30 seconds.

What you do:

• Wait 10–30 seconds.

• If it becomes green, you’re good.

• If it turns red, you need to troubleshoot.

Green

Meaning: Connected and stable.

This is what you want.

What you do: Verify accounts + data (next sections).

Red

Meaning: Connection failed.

This could be:

• wrong username/password,

• wrong connection type,

• maintenance window,

• network/firewall issue,

• or broker server problem.

What you do: Go to the troubleshooting section below.

✅ Success Indicator

Green means: data + account handshake are successful.

⚠️ Warning

Do not enable live strategies if you aren’t green. A half-working connection is how beginners end up with frozen charts or missing accounts.

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Verify Your Accounts Appeared (This Prevents SIM Mistakes)

Once connected, you must confirm that your real prop accounts appear.

Step 1 — Open Accounts View

In Control Center:

• Open the Accounts tab (if visible), or

• Go to New → Account Data

Screenshot description

You should see a window with:

• account selector dropdown

• balance / unrealized / realized PnL sections

Step 2 — Look for Your Prop Firm Account Names

✅ You should see accounts beyond SIM.

✅ Success Indicator

You see your prop firm accounts listed and selectable.

⚠️ If you only see SIM101

You are either:

• not connected (gray/red), or

• connected to the wrong provider, or

• connection is green but your account permissions didn’t load.

Fix: go to “Common Problems” below and follow the step-by-step.

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Verify Data Is Flowing (Charts Should Be Moving)

Even if the connection is green, you should verify that price updates are coming through.

Step 1 — Open a Chart

Control Center → New → Chart

Choose a common instrument:

• MNQ (micro NASDAQ)

• MES (micro S&P)

Step 2 — Confirm the Chart Updates

✅ What “good” looks like:

• candles print as time passes

• last price changes

• the chart time keeps advancing

📝 Note

If the market is in a quiet period, candles may move slowly.

The key is: the chart time advances and prices update when the market ticks.

Step 3 — Extra verification (optional but helpful)

Open:

• New → Market Analyzer or New → Time & Sales (if you’re familiar)

If data is flowing, those should update too.

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Common Connection Problems (And Step-by-Step Fixes)

This section is organized so you can act fast.

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Problem 1: Wrong Username or Password

Symptom

• Connection turns yellow briefly then red

• Log tab shows “login failed” or “authentication error”

Why it happens

• password is wrong (case-sensitive)

• extra spaces from copy/paste

• you used prop firm portal credentials instead of broker credentials

• password was changed or reset

Fix (do this in order)

1. Re-open Connections → Configure…

2. Edit the connection

3. Carefully re-enter username/password:

   • type it manually if copy/paste might be inserting spaces

4. Try connecting again

If still failing: 5. Log into the broker portal (Tradovate web/app or Rithmic portal if available) using the same credentials 6. If you can’t log in there, reset password through broker/prop firm instructions

💡 Tip

The fastest confirmation is: “Can I log into the broker portal with these credentials?” If not, NinjaTrader cannot connect either.

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Problem 2: Wrong Connection Type (Tradovate vs Rithmic)

Symptom

• You connect to Tradovate but your account was purchased as Rithmic (or vice versa)

• Connection may fail, or connect but show no accounts

Why it happens

Prop firm accounts are tied to a broker type. If you try to connect using the wrong provider, the handshake fails.

Fix

1. Confirm in your prop firm dashboard which broker your account uses

2. Create the correct connection type in NinjaTrader

3. Connect using that provider

4. Verify accounts appear

⚠️ Warning

Don’t keep “trying random things.” Guessing wastes time and can lock accounts after repeated failed logins.

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Problem 3: Connection Is Green, But Accounts Don’t Appear

Symptom

• Connection shows green

• Accounts window only shows SIM101 (or missing prop accounts)

Possible causes

• accounts still loading (common if you have many)

• connection handshake incomplete (rare)

• wrong user permissions / wrong broker credentials

• NinjaTrader UI not refreshed

Fix (step-by-step)

1. Wait 15–30 seconds (accounts can load slowly)

2. Open Accounts view again (close and reopen Account Data)

3. Disconnect and reconnect the connection once:

   • Connections → Disconnect

   • Connections → Click connection again

4. If still missing:

   • Restart NinjaTrader (close + reopen)

5. If still missing after restart:

   • Verify you are using the correct broker credentials for that prop firm account

   • Contact support with screenshots:

     • green connection indicator

     • Accounts view showing only SIM101

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Problem 4: Chart Is Frozen / Not Updating

Symptom

• chart time stops moving

• candles don’t update

• looks stuck on an old timestamp

Possible causes

• data feed stalled

• you’re not actually connected (gray/red)

• temporary broker maintenance or data hiccup

• chart is paused (rare, but possible)

Fix (step-by-step)

1. Check connection color:

   • If not green → fix connection first

2. If green:

   • Close the chart and reopen it

3. If still frozen:

   • Disconnect and reconnect once (manual intervention only when needed)

4. If still frozen after reconnect:

   • Restart NinjaTrader

5. If it happens repeatedly at the same time each day:

   • It may be broker maintenance windows

   • Your strategies auto-refresh, but a full data outage still requires reconnection sometimes

📝 Note

Daily manual reconnect is no longer required.

But rare connection stalls can still happen—your job is simply to recognize it and fix it when it appears.

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Problem 5: Connection Shows Yellow for a Long Time

Symptom

• yellow persists longer than ~30–60 seconds

• never turns green

• eventually goes red or stays stuck

Possible causes

• broker servers slow or down

• firewall/network/DNS issue

• credentials rejected but delayed

Fix

1. Wait up to 60 seconds once (don’t spam-click)

2. If still yellow:

   • Disconnect

   • Try again once

3. If still yellow/red:

   • Check internet in the VPS (open a website)

   • Restart NinjaTrader

4. If it continues:

   • Check prop firm announcements for maintenance

   • Contact support with a screenshot of the indicator and Log/Output

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Problem 6: Firewall / Network Blocks (Rare on VPS, More Common on Work Networks)

Symptom

• credentials are correct but connection always fails

• you can connect from some networks but not others

Why it happens

Some networks block trading/broker ports, especially corporate or school networks.

Fix

1. Try connecting from the VPS (recommended environment)

2. If you’re using your home computer instead:

   • try a different network (mobile hotspot test)

3. On VPS:

   • Windows firewall issues are rare, but if you installed security software, it can interfere

4. If you suspect network blocking:

   • contact VPS provider support (they can confirm outbound connectivity)

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Problem 7: Prop Firm Maintenance Windows

Symptom

• connection fails at certain times (often in evening maintenance periods)

• connection returns later without you changing anything

Why it happens

Prop firms and brokers sometimes do server maintenance. During those windows, connections can drop.

Fix

1. Wait 10–20 minutes and try again

2. Check prop firm announcements

3. If it’s persistent during normal hours, contact support

💡 Tip

Maintenance windows are not “your fault.” The key is learning to recognize the pattern so you don’t panic.

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Where to Look for Error Details (Output + Log)

When a connection fails, NinjaTrader usually tells you why—if you know where to look.

Log Tab

Control Center → Log tab

You’ll see connection attempts and errors listed with timestamps.

Output Window

Control Center → New → Output

This can show provider messages or script-level issues.

✅ Best practice

When something fails, take a screenshot of:

• the connection indicator color

• the Log tab message

Those two screenshots solve most support tickets instantly.

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Best Practices: “Set and Forget” Without Being Blind

TradingBoss strategies are designed to run continuously. Your broker connection should be stable most of the time.

Here’s the correct beginner mindset:

• You are not “babysitting” it daily.

• You are simply doing a quick health check and responding if something is clearly wrong.

The 30-second daily check (optional but smart)

When you log into VPS:

1. Is NinjaTrader open?

2. Is connection green?

3. Are charts moving?

4. Any red errors in Log/Output?

If yes → disconnect and move on.

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When to Contact Support (And What to Include)

Contact support when:

• Connection stays red after you verified credentials

• Accounts don’t appear even though connection is green

• Charts freeze repeatedly

• You see repeating error messages you don’t understand

Include this (so support can solve fast)

• Screenshot of:

  • connection indicator (green/yellow/red/gray)

  • Log tab error message

  • Accounts view showing what accounts appear

• Which broker type (Tradovate or Rithmic)

• Which prop firm (example: Apex)

• Whether you’re on VPS (and which provider)

✅ Success Indicator

A good support ticket has screenshots + exact symptoms. “It doesn’t work” is slow. “Connection red + login failed in Log” is fast.

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Summary

You now understand and can execute broker connections in NinjaTrader:

• The structure is: Prop Firm → Broker (Tradovate/Rithmic) → Platform (NinjaTrader)

• Connection colors mean:

  • Gray = not connected

  • Yellow = connecting

  • Green = connected (what you want)

  • Red = failed (fix required)

• You know how to:

  • configure a connection,

  • connect,

  • verify accounts appear,

  • verify charts are updating,

  • and troubleshoot common failures safely.

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Next Steps

Now that you can reliably connect and see your accounts:

1. Go to strategy-setup.md next That guide walks you step-by-step through:

   • creating the correct chart (instrument + timeframe),

   • adding each TradingBoss strategy correctly,

   • entering your license key,

   • selecting the correct account,

   • enabling and verifying status states (ACTIVE/SCANNING/WARMUP/etc.),

   • saving your workspace.