Perplexing: can't connect to TWS (and other sites) from some WiFi connections

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d0rian

I'm on a hotel's WiFi but can't log into TWS at all -- after I enter my credentials, it just hangs at the splash screen saying "Connecting to server / No internet connection". A few things:
  • I definitely do have a working internet connection; other sites seem just fine + normal speed.
  • However at least 1 other site is wonky: I went to https://www.speedtest.net/ to check my connection, and it won't run properly...just hangs at 'Connecting / finding optimal server'...even though, again, I definitely do have working internet (can go to ESPN, CNN, etc just fine)
  • I can login to IB's Account Management via browser just fine. (I don't know if it's the same servers for web access vs what TWS needs to load...)
  • The problematic sites (TWS, Speedtest) work just fine via my phone's data hotspot...it's ONLY on the hotel's wifi connection they won't load.
  • I feel like this happens periodically -- like maybe once every 1-2 years I'll be on an internet connection that simply has trouble connecting to TWS or the IB API.
What could account for this? Feels like it might have something to do with the hotel's wifi being misconfigured, or having a weird firewall setting or something. I.e. not something I'm going to be able to 'fix' on my own. Would still like to understand what's going on.
 
Some hotels indeed use whitelists/blacklists to limit the websites (and data downloads) that hotel guests can use. This is mostly done to limit the data usage by the hotel guests. So you'd find that video streaming services or file downloads are blocked. It could be that the hotel you currently are does not have the IBKR server websites on its whitelist.
 
Our VPS can help with this too. We've configured out VPS to work with all guest Wifis like at hotels, on airplanes, corporate work networks, etc. so you connect to our VPS and then you're able to open all applications like you normally would, nothing is blocked.
 
I think the best solution would be to have your own VPS (virtual private server), and do everything on that your remote server by first connecting remotely to it...
It's of course more work as one has to administer this server, and of course it also has its own costs (about $5+ per month)...
On the other hand it's IMO the most secure solution as nobody can inspect (spy, snipper) your traffic.
For more info search for VPS, RDP etc.
 
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