Login Page - Create Account

Support Board


Date/Time: Fri, 19 Apr 2024 05:50:27 +0000



[User Discussion] - Is it possible to use IB Gateway instead of IB TWS?

View Count: 7571

[2014-01-19 15:45:22]
User29698 - Posts: 28
I have no problems connecting Sierrachart to my Interactive Brokers (IB) account using IB TWS, but when I try and use IB Gateway instead of IB TWS, Sierrachart is unable to connect to my IB account and IB data feed.

As IB Gateway consumes much less resources than IB TWS, it would be great, if we could connect Sierrachart to IB Gateway.

Is this possible today and if so how? And if not, I would like to please propose this as a feature request going forward.
[2014-01-21 03:27:32]
Lesmond - Posts: 21
There were no problems with connecting through IB Gateway a year ago (the last time I was using this setup on my end), so it's most likely possible to do it today as well. Just google this, you probably didn't get your setting right. Please remember that the Gateway has its own configuration screen.
[2014-01-21 04:04:42]
Sierra Chart Engineering - Posts: 104368
Yes. We see no reason why you cannot use the Interactive Brokers Gateway. If you are having any trouble connecting refer to step 15 here:
http://www.sierrachart.com/index.php?l=doc/IB.php#SetupInstructions
Sierra Chart Support - Engineering Level

Your definitive source for support. Other responses are from users. Try to keep your questions brief and to the point. Be aware of support policy:
https://www.sierrachart.com/index.php?l=PostingInformation.php#GeneralInformation

For the most reliable, advanced, and zero cost futures order routing, *change* to the Teton service:
Sierra Chart Teton Futures Order Routing
[2014-01-21 07:43:07]
User29698 - Posts: 28
Thank you both. The problem seems to be that I can't access the "Configure" menu in IB Gateway, which is probably where I would need to enter the configuration details (enabling API, localhost address etc.). Whenever I press the "Configure' menu, nothing happens, i.e. it does not display the configuration menu. Will ask IB tech support about this.
[2014-01-21 15:55:14]
ejtrader - Posts: 688
User29698 - Could you please post the end result for this if possible?

Thanks
[2014-01-21 22:30:24]
User29698 - Posts: 28
ejtrader,

I got it to work in the end. I ended up talking to IB technical support. The main issue seems to be, that IB Gateway uses default port 4002 (from memory) and not the 7496 port used by TWS. This can be changed in the ibg.xml file. So we changed this manually. When it still did not work, the tech support guy sent me a new version of the ibg.xml file and this now works fine. So looks my ibg.xml file was corrupted (even though it was the default that came with the latest version of IB TWS/ Gateway).

So if it still does nor work when changing ports manually in the ibg.xml file, you should probably best call IB tech support.
[2014-01-21 23:03:42]
ejtrader - Posts: 688
Thanks User29698.

- From the solution point of view:
- Download the Beta vesion of IB Gateway - Build 944 - (regular version doesn't work) - Which would allow you to configure the ports as needed
- If don't want to use the default port - one need to update it through configure port.

Thanks
Date Time Of Last Edit: 2014-01-21 23:04:10
[2014-01-22 00:25:57]
C. Notes - Posts: 129
I've tried the Gateway to no avail, so thanks for this thread. TWS is a clunky beast and memory hog...Not to mention it devours heaps of RAM...
(And I need that precious RAM for those .net spreadsheets...)

I will give these suggestions a go...

Thanks.
[2014-01-22 07:36:28]
tobi - Posts: 351
In the first login screen it asks to select the API type (s. attached screenshot). Which one should be selected, FIX CTCI or IB API?
Date Time Of Last Edit: 2014-01-22 07:44:34
imageIB-Gateway.png / V - Attached On 2014-01-22 07:44:30 UTC - Size: 42.27 KB - 883 views
[2014-01-22 09:41:20]
ejtrader - Posts: 688

IB API

Date Time Of Last Edit: 2014-01-22 09:41:29
[2014-05-08 07:06:39]
CycleTrader - Posts: 12
Thanks to this thread I got things to work very nicely.

Here is what I did:
-Start IB Gateway, choose IB API, Login
-Go to Configure/Settings/API: make a note of the 'Socket port' (in my case 4001)

In Sierra Chart
- Go to Global settings/Trade Service Settings
- in the server field changed 7496 to 4001 (the port number I found above)
- enter username and password
- ticked the 'connect on program startup'
- clicked OK

That's it.


To post a message in this thread, you need to log in with your Sierra Chart account:

Login

Login Page - Create Account