There are some known tips and tricks for us, a traders, using MT4 on the VPS that we should know. Credits and Thanks to all of our friends, clients, colleagues, and folks to bring these things up.
- Always check your Windows VPS regularly, at least once a week. Avoid assuming that everything will be working as planned and will be running as it is supposed to be, making us inattentive (see other explanations below).
- Never disclose (inform unauthorized and not related parties) your VPS IP address. Advice: Never share a VPS. Make sure the file containing your account password, accounts.ini (which is located in DataFolderConfigaccounts.ini -DataFolder should be found using
style="text-decoration: underline;">File >> Open Data Folder
in MT4) is safely secured, even it has already been encrypted! - Always synchronize both time and date using pool.ntp.org. This is to make sure that the time logs in the Journal Tab and the Expert Tab match our own preferred time to make it easy for us to comprehend. Run the timesync.bat file (in C:timesync.bat) to synchronize the particular time (and add in Windows' schedule task to run at interval of hours). New method is using a program called NetTime, which can be downloaded here
- Always create a shortcut for terminal.exe (the MT4 program) in the Windows STARTUP folder (drag and drop into the STARTUP folder).
- The quickest way to connect to a broker’s server from the VPS, is to left-click on the lower part of the upper right area of you Metratrader, and click RESCAN SERVER.
- Graphs and number shown on lower corner MT4 (as shown as picture above) represent
- Numbers: A total number of bars of tick history or pricing data per timeframe (time) which have been downloaded by MT4
- Graphs: show latency or internet distance from MT4 program on PC or VPS to broker's server. Consists of three: red means far away, red-green means average, green means near.
- Frequently check your Journal Tab and Expert Tab. Report immediately if there is any unexpected events occurred. Commonly, a broker only provides a time limit of 2 x 24 hours for reporting any errors (a routine check is considered compulsory).
- For those who are familiar with EA (and/or forex robot) or aren’t considered as experts yet, never try to migrate a VPS and/or relocating the Metatrader program (using a copy paste command and other odd methods) while opening an order. Write down and find out exactly your Expert ID parameter. Expert ID = 0 to override/manually handling the order. Trick (to replace the Expert ID): disable your EA (click the Expert Advisor button) --> change the Expert ID --> turn off the MT4 --> Restart the MT4 again -->
Restart your EA (a smiley sign will appear). Advice: Not recommended to use the VPS to open an order manually! Do not mix between the EA and manual order! Recommended method: Open an order manually on your desktop computer, then a robot will handle it (on the VPS) by setting the Expert ID = 0 (for more information regarding the Expert ID, please search on the particular EA parameter). - Suggestion: Never force the use of several MT4 (or an MT4 with complex chartings and algorithms) on a VPS exceeding its resource capacity. It would be very risky at the time of opening and/or making an order settlement (the order might be skipped, pay attention to the Journal Tab and Expert Tab)!
- Recommendation: a 384 MB VPS may only be utilized for a maximum of 2 simultaneously running MT4 (with 1 chart each), 3 MT4s at the most, since the number of MT4 running parallel is the main cause of the biggest memory consumption. Advice: Avoid using a Windows XP operating system, since besides its memory management is the worst (has to be daily restarted), its stability is also very doubtful to be used with complex EAs that are running on small time frames (frequently being updated such as in the M1 or M5).
- Use VPS for Backtest. The result will be much faster than using your desktop computer. Try proving it by yourself. Don’t forget to delete the folder (C:Program FilesMetatrader 4tester* - may vary on each broker) every time you are done doing a time-consuming backtest (the file size could be outrageously large).
- Tips: Only do a backtest on trading hours (on trading days, not on Saturdays and Sundays). The result will be distinctive since the closing trading spreads are intentionally being made wider by all brokers.
- Never forget to always upgrade your MT4 version to the newest/latest!
- Once again: Always check the Metatrader program on your VPS regularly! It’s a must!