Guardian Trading Live Rithmic Connection Guide to NinjaTrader 8

Yes. First request an active live Rithmic username and password from Guardian Trading. Then install PropFirmConnector, configure Rithmic for NinjaTrader Brokerage, select Rithmic 01 (Chicago), and sign in with those broker-issued Rithmic credentials.

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System: Rithmic 01 (Chicago) Last verified:

PropFirmConnector is an independent third-party add-on and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Guardian Trading, NinjaTrader, or Rithmic.

How to connect Guardian Trading to NinjaTrader 8 in 6 steps

  1. Request a Rithmic login from Guardian Trading

    Log in to your Guardian Trading client portal or contact Guardian Trading through its website. Ask the broker to enable Rithmic for your live brokerage account and issue an active Rithmic username and password. Do not continue until you have those Rithmic credentials.

    Broker website Visit Guardian Trading (opens in a new tab)

  2. Log in to R|Trader Pro once

    Sign in to R|Trader Pro with the Rithmic credentials issued by Guardian Trading. Accept any pending market-data agreements and confirm the expected trading accounts appear. You only do this once; R|Trader Pro doesn’t need to stay open.

  3. 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.

    Open your account downloads

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

  4. 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 Guardian Trading.

  5. Configure Rithmic for Guardian 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 Guardian Trading, give the connection a recognizable name, leave Connect on start up and Plug-in mode off, and select Rithmic 01 (Chicago) for System.

  6. Connect to Guardian 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.

    An interface illustration of the Guardian Trading connection after it turns green.

Enlarged guide image

If your Guardian 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 login is probably missing the general Rithmic entitlement, so the Accounts tab often shows only Sim101. 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. The fix is in your NinjaTrader account, not in Rithmic or your firm’s dashboard, and you only do it once.
About NinjaTrader window with Entitlements showing Evaluation (Rithmic).
Correct: Entitlements lists Evaluation (Rithmic). Machine ID and User are hidden.

If Evaluation (Rithmic) is missing:

  • Import this license key at account.ninjatrader.com: click your initials, then Settings > Plans > Import license key. Paste the key, click Import, then close and restart NinjaTrader.
    @APE-XTRA-DERF-UNDI-183T-PR45-LW27-63GE
  • No Import license key button, or still 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.
Play video: Rithmic Account Not Showing in NinjaTrader? Connected but Only Sim101

Rithmic account not showing in NinjaTrader: the full fix, step by step →

The Guardian Trading live Rithmic login is rejected.
Test the same credentials in R|Trader Pro, accept any pending agreements, and select Rithmic 01 (Chicago) in NinjaTrader.

Guardian Trading + NinjaTrader questions

Q Can I connect a live Guardian Trading Rithmic account to NinjaTrader 8?

Yes. Install PropFirmConnector, select Rithmic 01 (Chicago), and enter the active live Rithmic credentials issued through Guardian Trading.

Q Which Guardian Trading credentials do I use?

Use the live Rithmic username and password issued for the brokerage account, not the Guardian Trading client-portal login or your NinjaTrader account credentials.

Q Which System should I select for a Guardian Trading live account?

Select Rithmic 01 (Chicago). This is the Rithmic 01 live Chicago environment shown in NinjaTrader’s Rithmic connection settings.

Q Can I run multiple live Rithmic brokerage logins in one NinjaTrader instance?

Yes. PropFirmConnector can connect multiple separate Rithmic logins in one NinjaTrader instance, including live brokerage and prop-firm accounts.

Q Is PropFirmConnector affiliated with Guardian Trading?

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

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