IB's Front End Software

[Catoosa]

Originally posted by mskl



IB's equity quotes are NOT regularly three seconds behind. Right now, in this quiet market, they are maybe 1/2 second behind which can probably be explained by my internet connection.

What I said was 0 to 3 seconds and I fully agree with you that on this day that a 0 to 1/2 second IB lag would be correct. But on a high volume day, the delay could be as much as 3 seconds or even stuck quotes. But, lets hope IB's new switching and etc has for the most part fixed this problem. We know for sure, no quote feed is going to be the best at all times.

Catoosa

 

[mskl]

Originally posted by metooxx


I agree with most of what you are saying.

The test you propose assumes a live order, that you already have requested and qued the symbol on, which may or may not have equal or higher priority than a request for quote, as in when you first enter the symbol.

Last week I found out that at TN, when you want to send an order on a symbol for the first time during the log-in session, there is a delay because the system querries the server for contract information, even though you provide that from another feed.

You really never know all of the wierd things these systems do until you run into the problem.

If you send an order to buy 177 shares (wierd odd lot) then as soon as you see the order show up in the IB quote then that IS the longest possible delay in their quotes. If they dick around with it before sending it (which they don't) then that would mean the quotes are even FASTER than you expect. You will see it is constantly less than 1/2 of second.



Use Island for equities and the PSE for options because some of the other ECN's/Exchanges have other delays built into them.

 

[Catoosa]

Originally posted by N.ShoreTrading
I assume you can't just click on a bid or ask to automatically load a price (like you can in CyberTrader). So if you are bidding for a fast moving stock, you have to keep manually typing in a new bid price every time?? (CyberTrader bid/ask order entry automatically moves with the market!)

Anyone have this problem trading with IB?

Thanks

IB works just like CyberTrader from this standpoint. It is when the quotes displayed are running behind the market that there is a problem and that goes for any broker including CyberTrader. If the quotes you are looking at are wrong and you do not know the market, trying to trade is hopeless. That is one of the reasons I want TAL RealTick quotes and market information to run along side IB. I would want TAL RealTick information even if IB quotes were perfect.

Catoosa

 

[mskl]

Originally posted by Catoosa


What I said was 0 to 3 seconds and I fully agree with you that on this day that a 0 to 1/2 second IB lag would be correct. But on a high volume day, the delay could be as much as 3 seconds or even stuck quotes. But, lets hope IB's new switching and etc has for the most part fixed this problem. We know for sure, no quote feed is going to be the best at all times.


On average days, I find IB quotes run 0 to 3 seconds behind TAL quotes

Catoosa

I thought you said on the "average" day the quotes were 0-3 seconds behind.

I would say that the average day produces 0 to 1/2 second delay and this is the norm.

Yes, I realize they had some problems recently but IB has taken steps to fix the problem.