Tim, regarding ISP connection.
Keep in mind that no matter what technology you use from your home to your ISP, the most frequent delays you experience come from outside your ISP and one or more of the many "hops" the messages pass through to get from your PC, to your ISP, out from there, to the final destination, your broker or data service.
If you want the BEST connectivity, adequate speed between you and the ISP is important, but the fewest delays between you and the final destination is most important. 128K (2-channel ISDN or "shotgun" double 56k modems) would probably be OK between you and your ISP. After that, choose an ISP which does not overload its own servers and network.
If you are near a local phone exchange building (2-7 miles, depending on technology), you might be able to get ADSL which is now available. This would provide 384kb upload and download speeds for about $80 a month. This would be a 24hour/day connection, no additional phone company charges for usage. Your ISP charges could vary.
I live in Lafayette, CA, which is about 3 miles from Walnut Creek where my office is. I can get ADSL in Walnut Creek, but not in Lafayette. RATS.
The best solution is to get a VPN (Virtual Private Network) connection between you and your broker. CyberBroker in Texas support this. With VPN, the carrier guarantees level of service. It might only be 128k, but it will run like clockwork, no delays. It's like being on a leased line between you and your broker. Expensive.
Another alternative, is to find out which backbone carrier is used by your broker. If they use UUNET, for example, then find a local ISP who also uses UUNET and your messages will never leave their proprietary private network where they also guarantee level of service.
The problems arise when messages are switched to "peered" or shared networks from other backbone carriers or have to be routed through either MAE-West or MAE-East, two Metropolitan Area Exchanges which decide how to route your message across the country. These two exchanges are VERY congested and slow things down horribly.
On this point, does anyone know which backbone is used by MBTrading, Watley, CyberBroker, etc?? |
