The speed of the platform is one of the main parameters when choosing a broker for those who are interested in intraday and scalping strategies. Sometimes, you see the opportunity to open positions at the great price, click on the desired button, and… Position is available at a less advantageous price.
The speed of the platform: how to determine the source of the problem
Freezing of the platform, slowness, slippage, slow actuating warrants — there could be many reasons, but it is important to determine on whose side they are. Unscrupulous brokers choose slow servers as they are cheaper, but the problem may also be on the side of the trader. Possible causes of untimely actuation of the platform:
- the problem of the platform: error in code, overloaded graphics and tools etc.;
- non-compliance of technical parameters of the computer (or operating system), viruses;
- low speed of data transmission (Internet connection), problems with your ISP;
- the interference of the broker in the work of the platform;
- slow data transfer on the server of the broker.
First step: checking your own computer. It’s simple: ask a question to the developer or to the technical service of the developer about the minimum requirements to the computer. Professional traders work with several computers united in a network to increase the efficiency of trade.
Next step:
- check Internet speed;
- control of response time to a query from the computer to the server of the broker.
To check Internet speed, we recommend this site: speedtest.net. If it is below than the stated by provider, the claim must be presented only to the provider. The speed of the platform is always lower than the maximum speed of the Internet.
Most often, the platform of the broker and its website are located on the same server that you want to calculate. Go to the website a.pr-cy.ru and specify the site of the broker. It is free of charge. Under “server information” the location of the server and datacenter are shown. The same information can be obtained from the broker, but probably he would not be willing to share it.
Go back to the website speedtest.net. Select the country where the broker’s server is located on the map and any server. Ideally, to check multiple servers in one country — if the speed of the communication with the broker server is identical to the communication speed with other servers, there should be no claims to the server. Decoding the received values:
- Ping — the server response (ms);
- Download Speed — the speed at which the Internet connection of the trader transmits the files from the tested server;
- Upload Speed — the speed at which you can transfer files to the specified server.
Only the first value is important, (the normal is 100-300 ms). A value above 300 MS means that it is better to change the broker. Anything below 100 MS suggests that there can be a very fruitful cooperation with the broker.
Alas, in 50% of cases the problem can be on the side of the trader, so before you quit with the broker, it makes sense to contact customer support:
- describe the problem and specify whether the terminal of the broker is located on the same server;
- attach screenshots of the tests and evidence of low speed operation of the platform.
Third step — check stability of Internet connection:
- in the operating system, press the Windows+R buttons;
- in the window that appears, enter the command cmd;
- in the tasks window write ping, put a space, write the address of the website of the broker.
If the obtained result coincides with the data of speedtest.net, – the speed of the platform is normal, no deviations. Necessarily the number of lost packets must be equal to zero. Otherwise there are problems with the provider, the cable or the computer itself.
This method of check of the platform performance speed is not the only one, but one of the easiest. Test the same platform, downloaded from the broker and the developer, check the speed of multiple platforms of the same broker. In short, experiment and look for the fastest broker with no requotes and delays!
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