I did a search and could not find a similar topic which is surprising to me. Basically, I would like to backtest ideas totally offline but WLP wants me to authenticate every time I start WLP. Here is what I have done: 1)started WLP, logged in to Fid; 2) turned off WLP, restarted successfully; 3) unplugged internet, tried to restart WLP, failed because it wants to log in again.

From 1,2,3 above I deduct that there is no way to work with WLP offline without my strategy folder being potentially exposed to the world wide web. I am not suggesting that WLP was designed to spy on their customers. But the authentication routine clearly has left a backdoor that could be potentially exploited let's say by a rogue employee at Fid.

Is an alternative authentication procedure in the works? Are there any other WLP customers who find this an important issue?

Suggestion: don't unplug the internet. There are other ways to go offline w/o unplugging.

Frankly, your line of thinking is completely missing the point: authentication in 5.x does not expose your rig to the internet, is not a service, does not start a local web/whatever-server, is not a rootkit-kind of thing.

Furthermore, your Strategies can be exposed "to the world wide web" without you knowing it - heck, even without WLP running. Theoretically, of course: motivated persons have created zillions of rootkits, worms, trojan horses and botnets, some of which are real masterpieces.

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Furthermore, your Strategies can be exposed "to the world wide web" without you knowing it - heck, even without WLP running. Theoretically, of course: motivated persons have created zillions of rootkits, worms, trojan horses and botnets, some of which are real masterpieces.

not if the machine is not connected to the internet. this is what i would like: to authenticate with Fid once, unplug the Ethernet cable and test ideas offline. i would not mind to authenticate periodically (once a month). in this case to feel totally secure I would restore machine to the time before my previous authentication (to remove the viruses that may have come from the previous internet exposure), authenticate with Fid, unplug internet, add strategy folder and start coding.

if WLP tries to connect to the authentication server while i have my super-secret strategy folder in the data folder there is some risk for me. i don't understand what the authentication process involves, but it is a security risk - I understand that much.

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I would like to backtest ideas totally offline but WLP wants me to authenticate every time I start WLP.

This is because you have at least one of these in your Default Workspace:

o Streaming Chart/Strategy Window
o Strategy Monitor
o Accounts Tool with a live account selected

Save your "Trading Workspace" separetely, and don't have one of these items in the Default so that you won't be bothered to authenticate for data that requires authentication.

Also, for testing completely offline, you should disable On-demand requests.

Trying Cone's solution, so far without a positive result:
I deleted all open windows, so nothing like Strat Monitor is open (see image):
http://www.sendspace.com/file/bcngay

I unlclicked Update on Demand under File and saved this setup as a default Workspace. To be safe I also saved this workplace in place of Trading and Market Data Workspaces.

With the above changes I can start WLP fine, but if I try to start it with Local Area Connection Disabled I get "must log in" message. So I am back where I started.

So, don't unplug the internet but "go offline" by using a software solution.

afaik, WLP doesn't have a "must log in" message. If WLP requires you to log in, it simply displays the login dialog.

What is the entire text of the dialog that you're seeing, title caption included?

It does have: once your trial ends, it forces you to log in.

FYI, when the internet is connected and WLP starts fine, i am not actually logged in Fidelity (to log in I need to push the login button). so, i get authenticated as a legitimate user based on my prior login. so is this a bug or a feature?

i will try to figure out the workaround Eugene suggested.

A feature.

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It does have: once your trial ends, it forces you to log in.

Eugene are you talking about Pro or Dev? I guess I've never seen a trial ending in Pro; what does it look like?

So, is the problem that when there is no internet connection, the Fidelity Login dialog is popping up at startup? I'm sure this is not by design, and the only reason that should happen is if you have not authenticated within one month's time.

About Pro. A pop up box says something like "You must log in continue to use WLP", and then forces you with the SSN/PIN dialog.

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the only reason that should happen is if you have not authenticated within one month's time.

Ditto.

In that case it sounds pretty screwy that that dialog keeps popping up "every time" deepbuyer starts WLP.

deepbuyer, please call your Fidelity rep to work with them on authentication problems.

ok, i will call them.

just to add a bit more info in case it turns out to be helpful. below are the screen-shots of my login attempts with/without internet.

could the problem lie in how i activated WLP? basically, i ran several consecutive trials using WLP5.3 carrying Data folder to a fresh machine each time I started a new trial. one day BEFORE my latest 30day run expired i finally logged in into Fid. Also, on the same day or the following day I upgraded to 5.6. So, is it possible that some file got carried over after my multi-trials and it is giving me the hard time now?

http://www.sendspace.com/file/e9q6q4

p.s.

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In that case it sounds pretty screwy that that dialog keeps popping up "every time" deepbuyer starts WLP.

only if am not connected to the internet as illustrated in the screen-shots.

Let's create a support ticket instead. Though we don't know the inner workings of Fidelity authentication, we can ask one of the programmers who worked on it for his/her explanation of what's going on and perhaps arrive at a solution.

ticket created