Connection guide

Boxcar Trading Connection Guide to NinjaTrader 8

Firm website: boxcartrading.com

Quick answer

Yes, with PropFirmConnector. Every Boxcar account uses Rithmic, and Boxcar’s own System, BoxcarTrading, reaches NinjaTrader 8 through the add-on. Open the account in My Portal for its trading login, then select BoxcarTrading for System.

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Account feed: Rithmic System: BoxcarTrading Last verified:

This guide covers how to connect Boxcar Trading Rithmic accounts to NinjaTrader. PropFirmConnector is an independent third-party add-on and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Boxcar Trading, NinjaTrader, or Rithmic.

Before you start

Your Boxcar Trading Rithmic account and login

Boxcar Trading (boxcartrading.com) runs every account on Rithmic: BoxcarPrime, BoxcarScale and BoxcarPayout start with an evaluation, and BoxcarFunded starts simulated-funded. Each account’s trading login is in My Portal, separate from your website login.

Boxcar recommends PropFirmConnector for NinjaTrader. Its own System, BoxcarTrading, is in PropFirmConnector’s Firm list, and the add-on keeps your Boxcar login connected alongside other firms’ Rithmic logins in one NinjaTrader instance.

Where to find your Boxcar Rithmic login

Sign in to My Portal and open the account to see its trading access details; Trading Platforms has the setup steps for your software. Your Boxcar website login and trading-platform login are different, and resetting the website password does not reset the trading credentials.

Open Boxcar My Portal (opens in a new tab)
Step-by-step setup

How to connect Boxcar Trading to NinjaTrader 8 in 5 steps

  1. Step 1 One-time activation

    Activate your Boxcar trading login

    In My Portal, confirm the account is active and copy its trading login. Use those Boxcar trading credentials to complete the required Rithmic market-data agreements, following the setup guidance under Trading Platforms. After this one-time step, the direct PropFirmConnector setup below does not require R|Trader Pro to stay open.

  2. Step 2

    Install PropFirmConnector

    From your PropFirmConnector account, download PropFirmConnector.zip and close NinjaTrader completely. Extract the ZIP, then copy NinjaTrader.Custom-pfc.dll to My Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom. Start NinjaTrader again and, when your browser opens, click Activate this device.

    Copy the DLL to My Documents\NinjaTrader 8\bin\Custom
    Open your account downloads

    No license yet? Start the free 7-day trial, then download PropFirmConnector from your account.

  3. Step 3

    Open NinjaTrader 8 and sign in

    Start NinjaTrader 8 and sign in with your NinjaTrader account credentials when prompted. These are your NinjaTrader credentials, not the Rithmic username and password issued by Boxcar Trading.

  4. Step 4

    Configure Rithmic for Boxcar Trading

    In the NinjaTrader Control Center, select Connections, then configure. Select Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage from the Available list on the left, enter the Rithmic username and password issued by Boxcar Trading, give the connection a recognizable name, leave Connect on start up and Plug-in mode off, and select BoxcarTrading for System.

    In the Control Center, click Connections, then configure.
  5. Step 5

    Connect to Boxcar Trading

    Open Connections again and click the connection name you just created. A green status indicator and the account appearing in NinjaTrader confirm the connection.

    Open Connections and click the name you created. This interface illustration uses Boxcar Trading and shows the green connected indicator. It is a setup example, not evidence of a live account test.

Enlarged guide image

If your Boxcar Trading connection is not working

Should Plug-in mode be on or off?
Off. Plug-in mode shares a running R|Trader Pro session with NinjaTrader, which is a different setup from PropFirmConnector’s direct connection. In Connections > Configure, select your Rithmic connection, uncheck Plug-in mode, click OK and connect again. Some firm and Rithmic instructions turn it on for their R|Trader Pro workflow; leave it off for PropFirmConnector.
The connection is green, but the account isn’t in NinjaTrader’s Accounts tab.
Your NinjaTrader account may be missing the general Rithmic entitlement. In NinjaTrader, open Help > About. The Entitlements line should say Evaluation (Rithmic); if it doesn’t, the connection can turn green without showing your accounts. Older NinjaTrader accounts don’t have this entitlement by default, but newly registered accounts do.
About NinjaTrader window with Entitlements showing Evaluation (Rithmic).
Help > About in NinjaTrader. Entitlements shows Evaluation (Rithmic) when the entitlement is enabled. Machine ID and User are hidden.

If Evaluation (Rithmic) is missing:

  • Trading mainly with prop firms? Your NinjaTrader login doesn’t matter, so the fastest fix is to create a new NinjaTrader account with a different email and sign in with it.
  • Keeping your current login, for example because it has a live account on it? Email platformsupport@ninjatrader.com with your NinjaTrader username and ask them to enable the general Rithmic entitlement.
Rithmic rejects your Boxcar login.
Use the trading login from My Portal, not your Boxcar website password, and check the account status there: Boxcar notes that a paid order alone does not mean trading access is ready. If access details are missing, contact Boxcar support with the account ID, platform name and exact error.
You reset your Boxcar password, but the trading login still fails.
Boxcar’s website password and trading credentials are separate, and resetting the website password does not reset the trading credentials. Use the trading details shown for the account in My Portal.
Market depth is missing.
Boxcar says to reconnect using your Boxcar trading credentials and check the contract month.

Official Boxcar Trading resources

From the blog

Latest Boxcar Trading coverage

FAQ

Boxcar Trading + NinjaTrader questions

Q Can I use NinjaTrader with Boxcar Trading?

Yes, with PropFirmConnector. Every Boxcar account uses Rithmic, and the add-on connects it to NinjaTrader 8 with System BoxcarTrading.

Q Which System do I select for Boxcar Trading?

BoxcarTrading, Boxcar’s own entry in PropFirmConnector’s Firm list. NinjaTrader’s built-in Rithmic System list does not include it.

Q Where do I find my Boxcar trading login?

In My Portal: open the account to see its trading access details. It is separate from your Boxcar website login.

Q Can I run Boxcar alongside other prop firms in NinjaTrader?

Yes. PropFirmConnector keeps your Boxcar login connected alongside other firms’ Rithmic logins, such as Apex, Lucid Rithmic or Tradeify Rithmic, in one NinjaTrader instance.

Q Do I need a paid NinjaTrader license for Boxcar Trading?

No. With PropFirmConnector, a free NinjaTrader account works. Boxcar notes that platform subscriptions and licenses are separate from your Boxcar purchase.

Q Is PropFirmConnector affiliated with Boxcar Trading?

No. PropFirmConnector is an independent NinjaTrader add-on and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Boxcar Trading, NinjaTrader, or Rithmic.

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