Record when the connection drops and which service fails: orders, real-time prices or historical data. Then compare those timestamps with application logs, provider notices and other connected platforms. Session conflicts, local resource problems and connector-specific behavior need different checks. A frozen chart alone does not prove a full Rithmic outage.
Educational software guidance. Trading involves risk. Read the financial and information disclaimers.
Protect your investigation from stale account information
If a connection drops while positions or orders exist, use an available supported route or the provider to confirm account state. Do not infer cancellation from an empty or disconnected window. Check where your software manages brackets, OCO cancellation or trailing adjustments before restarting it.
OCO means one cancels the other: linked-order management may depend on the particular route. The OCO guide explains why an order's location and its management logic must be checked separately.
Build a short incident log
| Record | Example of the detail to preserve |
|---|---|
| Time | Exact timestamp and timezone |
| Application | Name, version and active connector |
| Connection | Selected System/Gateway; direct or plugin |
| Failed service | Order, price, history, or the exact logged service |
| Trigger | Second app opened, network change, large history request, or no known trigger |
| Recovery | Automatic retry, manual reconnect, or still disconnected |
Examples here are record fields, not a reproduced outage. Preserve nearby log lines and redact credentials or private identifiers before sharing them.
Separate the likely branches
Another platform connects at the same time
Investigate session entitlement and routing before blaming network quality. Quantower's issues guide describes direct-session conflicts and plugin-host dependencies. Sierra Chart support identifies a same-account limitation in its Rithmic interface. Do not close a program that manages orders until you have assessed that dependency.
RTrader Pro is the plugin host
For a supported plugin route, confirm that the host remains running and connected and that the client uses the plugin route. A direct connection is a different setup. Use plugin mode guidance to check both applications and the provider's allowed sessions.
Sierra Chart repeatedly reconnects during symbol/history activity
The official Rithmic service guide describes a specific recurring-disconnect pattern involving symbols that do not match its Rithmic format. It identifies a version-related correction and advises inspecting places that request those symbols. Follow that documented branch when the symptoms match. Do not invent heartbeat settings or apply its diagnosis to every platform.
One computer has trouble and others do not
Compare network availability, application resource use and the exact error. Inspect resource use around the incident rather than asserting CPU overload from a chart pause alone. A working website does not confirm every trading endpoint is reachable. Have the relevant administrator review VPN or firewall restrictions; avoid turning security controls off as a routine step.
Multiple services fail together
Check dated official notices, including which System or component they name. Provider notices can differ from a platform vendor's status. Outage checking explains how to record an uncertainty without calling it a confirmed incident.
Verify recovery in stages
- Check that the intended connection reports connected.
- Confirm the expected account and refresh its positions and orders through the supported interface.
- Check the exact contract and quote timestamps for the data service.
- Inspect logs for new errors or repeated retries.
- Confirm any locally managed order logic is operating as intended before relying on it.
A green indicator records service status at that moment; it does not prove a fill, every exchange subscription or the absence of future drops.
If the interface specifically reports a lost connection, check the connection-lost diagnostic steps while preserving the exact message and account state.
Common questions
Will a VPS fix recurring disconnections?
A VPS changes part of the computer/network environment. It does not establish account entitlement, plugin compatibility or provider availability. Diagnose the failing branch before spending money.
Are my orders automatically canceled when the app drops?
A disconnect alone does not prove cancellation. Confirm the order state and hosting/management rules for the route.
Should I keep retrying every few seconds?
Avoid an uncontrolled retry loop. Preserve the first error, follow the platform's supported recovery procedure and ask the provider when repeated failures continue.
Why do charts work while trading does not?
Prices and account/order access can involve different services or permissions. Check them separately.