thinkorswim proxy setup, what is and is not documented
The short answer
Schwab’s help that we could read documents no proxy setting for thinkorswim, so we can’t give a verified setup. Third-party pages say the login screen has a gear icon with a proxy option. We haven’t opened it, so its proxy types, login fields and coverage are unknown.
Schwab documents no proxy setting, so we can’t give you verified steps.
Schwab’s help doesn’t say. The technical FAQ in its learning centre covers requirements, installing and reconnecting, and never mentions a proxy, a firewall or a port.
Third-party pages say the desktop login screen has a settings (gear) icon with a proxy option. None names the proxy types, and none says whether it takes a login and password. One forum user calls it limited, which is one account, not Schwab’s.
- Is there a proxy setting? Third-party pages say so, on the login screen. Schwab doesn’t document it.
- Which proxy types does it take? Unknown.
- Does it take a login and password? Unknown.
- What does it cover? Unknown. Nothing says whether charts, orders and news use it.
- Is a restart needed? Unknown.
- Have we tested it with Traders Proxy? No.
Which computers does thinkorswim run on?
- Windows 11. Schwab requires Windows 11 or above. We have no verified proxy setup.
- Windows 10. Below Schwab’s stated minimum, so we give no Windows 10 setup.
- macOS. Schwab requires macOS 14 (Sonoma) or above. We have no verified proxy setup.
- Linux. Schwab lists Zulu OpenJDK 21 on Fedora 28+, openSUSE 15.5+ or RHEL 8.9+. We have no verified proxy setup.
What can you do instead?
- Check the basics first. Schwab’s own reconnecting guidance points at your internet connection and router, not at a proxy.
- Hold off on the login-screen setting. We don’t tell you to type Traders Proxy values there until we have opened the dialog and recorded what it does.
- Know the other options. One forum user suggests a per-program tool such as Proxifier, and a 2017 guide describes an unofficial way through Java options. We have tested neither, and Schwab documents neither.
Does Schwab allow a proxy?
Warning. Check Schwab’s terms
We couldn’t read Schwab’s account or login terms, so we don’t know its position on proxies. If your broker prohibits proxies, don’t use one. Traders Proxy doesn’t change what your broker allows.
On thinkorswim, we claim no benefit until it is verified.
We have verified nothing for thinkorswim, so we claim no benefit there.
Ping is the time data takes to go there and back. We don’t promise lower ping. Distance sets the minimum. No proxy can move your broker closer.
If you also trade MetaTrader, you can use your plan there today. See the MetaTrader 5 (MT5) guide or the MetaTrader 4 (MT4) guide. For how a per-program tool works, see the NinjaTrader page.
Keep reading
- MT5 on Traders ProxyMetaQuotes documents what the MT5 setting is for.
- MT4 on Traders ProxyThe same for MetaTrader 4.
- Proxy types explainedWhat the proxy types mean.
- How Traders Proxy worksWhat happens between your platform and your broker.
Frequently asked questions
Where is the proxy setting in thinkorswim?
Third-party pages say it sits behind the gear icon on the login screen. Schwab doesn’t document it, so we can’t confirm its label or fields.
Which proxy types does thinkorswim support?
Schwab documents no proxy setting, and the third-party pages name no proxy types. So SOCKS5 and HTTP support are both unconfirmed.
Does thinkorswim work on Windows 10?
Not by Schwab’s requirements, which list Windows 11 or above. We give no Windows 10 setup.
Can I set a proxy for thinkorswim on a Mac?
Schwab’s minimum is macOS 14 or above, and it documents no proxy setting. We haven’t opened the Mac dialog, so we give no steps.
Can I use a proxy on the thinkorswim phone apps?
We found no source that says the apps have a proxy setting, and none that says they don’t. Our tested Android setup covers MetaTrader only.
Will a proxy change my ping or prevent disconnects?
Drops can start at your broker or on your own internet, and ping is mostly distance. For thinkorswim we claim no change.
Field reports · Verified forum threads
Real forum reports, what our system does, and where it stops.
Every quote below links to the forum thread or vendor guide where it appeared. Underneath each quote, see which parts of our system work together on it and where our server stops.
Generic or free proxies fail MetaTrader's proxy Test button
“I keep getting the message "Proxy test failed" no matter what proxy settings I try to set.”
How our system handles it. Use SOCKS5 or HTTP, whichever your platform offers. Enter our server, login and password in MetaTrader’s own Proxy window.
- Built-in
SOCKS5loginPrimary - Built-in
HTTPproxy loginSupporting
Where it stops. MetaTrader 4 and MetaTrader 5 support SOCKS5 and HTTP (not SOCKS4). A passing Test confirms the route reaches our server.
MetaTrader 5 will not use a proxy running on the same computer
“that proxy setting is working on MT4, so the problem is from MT5 not proxy”
How our system handles it. You don't need a tunnel app on your computer. Your platform connects to our server through its own Proxy setting.
- Own separate connection to your brokerPrimary
- Built-in
SOCKS5loginPrimary
Where it stops. Your platform connects through its built-in Proxy window, with no extra app to install. Some MetaTrader 5 builds have separate proxy-window bugs.
The platform's proxy setting does not cover everything (WebRequest, MQL5.community, Market)
“Enable proxy server — allow the use of a proxy server when connecting to the trade server.”
Why a proxy does not change this. Only the trading app you set up uses Traders Proxy. Everything else stays on your normal internet.
- Only the app you set up is routedBoundary
Where it stops. Only the trading app you set up uses Traders Proxy. Expert Advisor web calls, custom DLLs and Market downloads may still use your normal internet.
Far from the VPS, every click travels there and back plus video
“Is there no API which you can use instead of running a whole desktop environment? Because now you basically move your mouse in Europe, it sends the signal to the US, moves the mouse in the US, sends the whole video image back to Europe, and with an average of 150ms you're having a minimum round trip time of 300ms, and if you include the big amount of bytes a video feed takes up + decoding that, you're at 500ms.”
How local trading avoids it. With no remote-desktop screen, your click goes to your broker through our server, not to a remote computer and back as video.
- Platform stays on your own computerPrimary
- City switchingSupporting
Where it stops. Distance still sets the minimum. From far away, the trip to our server is still long. We add a step and do not promise lower ping.