Router Setup Guide

Step-by-step: connect any MT5 bot to your prop firm account

Step-by-Step Setup

You will need two different MT5 terminals installed on your computer.

Terminal A (Sender) ▷ from any broker (for example, ICMarkets, a demo account, or any account you want). This is where your bot or manual strategy runs. We call this the Sender because it sends the trade signals.

Terminal B (Receiver) ▷ your prop firm account (FTMO, FundedNext, The5ers, etc.). This is where PropOS copies the trades to. We call this the Receiver because it receives and executes the signals.

Terminal A ▷ Sender

1
Open your first MT5 terminal
  • This is the terminal where your bot/EA runs (or where you trade manually).
  • It can be any broker, any account type (demo or real). For example, ICMarkets, Pepperstone, or any broker you prefer.
  • This is NOT your prop firm account.
This terminal runs your strategy. The prop firm will never see it. It is completely invisible to them.
2
Attach your bot/EA to a chart
  • Open a chart of the symbol your bot trades (e.g., XAUUSD).
  • Drag your bot/EA onto the chart.
  • Make sure it is trading normally ▷ you should see it placing trades.
Your bot MUST be working and placing trades before setting up PropOS. Test it first. If your bot is not trading, fix that before continuing.
3
Attach PropOS to another chart in the same terminal
  • Open a NEW chart in Terminal A (any symbol ▷ it does not matter which).
  • Drag PropOS_Challenge_Workstation.ex5 onto this new chart.
  • You will now have two charts in Terminal A: one with your bot, one with PropOS.
PropOS runs on its own chart, completely separate from your bot. One chart for your bot, another chart for PropOS. They do not interfere with each other.
4
Configure PropOS as Sender

In the PropOS inputs window (the settings dialog), set these parameters:

ParameterValueNotes
Trading ModeRouterSmart Copy Trading mode
Prop Firm ProfileAnyDoes not matter ▷ sender does not trade
Router RoleSenderThis terminal broadcasts trades
Channel"default"Or any name ▷ REMEMBER this name
Everything elseDefaultNo changes needed

Click OK to start the EA.

The Channel name is like a radio frequency. Sender and Receiver MUST use the EXACT same channel name. If you change it from "default", write it down.
The Sender does NOT place any trades itself. It only watches the trades your bot places and broadcasts them. Your prop firm selection does not matter here.
5
Verify Sender is working
  • You should see the PropOS panel appear on the chart.
  • The header should display "ROUTER (SENDER)".
  • Status should show "SAFE" ▷ the sender never trades, so it is always safe.
If you see "ROUTER (SENDER)" in the panel header, you are good. The sender is now silently monitoring every trade in this terminal. Move on to Terminal B.

Terminal B ▷ Receiver

6
Open your second MT5 terminal
  • This is your PROP FIRM terminal.
  • Log in to your prop firm account (FTMO, FundedNext, The5ers, Alpha Capital, E8 Markets, Funding Pips, etc.).
  • Make sure AutoTrading is enabled (green play button in the toolbar).
Make sure you are logged into the correct prop firm account. Double-check the account number in the Navigator panel.
7
Attach PropOS to a chart
  • Open a chart in Terminal B (any symbol ▷ it does not matter).
  • Drag PropOS_Challenge_Workstation.ex5 onto the chart.
You do NOT need your bot on this terminal. Only PropOS goes here. PropOS handles everything on the receiver side.
8
Configure PropOS as Receiver

In the PropOS inputs window, set these CRITICAL parameters:

ParameterValueNotes
Trading ModeRouterSame as the sender
Prop Firm ProfileYOUR PROP FIRMe.g., FTMO, FundedNext, The5ers
Current Phase1 or 2Your current challenge phase
Router RoleReceiverThis terminal receives and executes
ChannelSAME AS SENDER"default" if you did not change it
Copy ModeMirrorRecommended ▷ or "Entry Only"
Risk Per Trade %Your riske.g., 1.0%
Max Simultaneous1 – 3Concurrent positions allowed
Receiver IDLeave blankAuto-generated. Only change if running multiple challenges on the same channel (see below)

Click OK to start the EA.

The Channel name MUST match EXACTLY what you set on the Sender. If it is different by even one character ▷ including spaces or capitalization ▷ they will not connect.

Receiver ID ▷ leave it blank in 99% of cases. PropOS auto-generates a unique ID from your account number and server name.

The Receiver ID does NOT need to match anything on the Sender. The Sender does not know or care about Receiver IDs. It simply broadcasts trades to the channel, and every Receiver listening on that channel picks them up automatically.

When would you change it? Only if you have multiple prop firm accounts on the same broker and server (e.g., two FTMO accounts on the same server). In that case, the auto-generated IDs would collide, so you give each one a custom name (e.g., "ftmo-50k", "ftmo-100k").

What changes on the Sender side? Nothing. The Sender stays exactly the same ▷ one chart, one PropOS instance as Sender. You only add more MT5 terminals with PropOS as Receiver, all using the same channel name. Each Receiver is an independent terminal with its own settings.

Mirror ▷ copies everything 1:1 (opens, closes, SL/TP changes, partial closes). Your receiver is an exact clone of the sender.

Entry Only ▷ copies only the entry signal. PropOS manages exits on the receiver independently with its own SL, TP, and trailing stop. These exit parameters are fully configurable in the receiver's inputs: Risk/Reward Ratio, Fallback SL, Trailing Stop activation, lock, and step. You can find and adjust them in the Receiver Risk & Trailing section of the PropOS settings on Terminal B.

9
Verify Receiver is working
  • PropOS panel should show "ROUTER (RECEIVER)" in the header.
  • The Compliance panel should display your prop firm's rules (DD limits, targets).
  • When the Sender's bot places a trade in Terminal A, you should see it appear in Terminal B within seconds.
Place a test trade manually in Terminal A to verify the connection. Open a small position by hand ▷ you should see it copied to Terminal B almost instantly. Then close it to confirm closes are copied too.

Final Checklist

Go through every item. If anything is missing, go back and fix it before live trading.

  • Terminal A: Bot is running and trading
  • Terminal A: PropOS attached as SENDER on a separate chart
  • Terminal A: Panel shows "ROUTER (SENDER)"
  • Terminal A: AutoTrading enabled (green play button)
  • Terminal B: Logged into prop firm account
  • Terminal B: PropOS attached as RECEIVER
  • Terminal B: Correct prop firm profile selected
  • Terminal B: Channel name matches Sender exactly
  • Terminal B: Panel shows "ROUTER (RECEIVER)"
  • Terminal B: AutoTrading enabled (green play button)
  • Test trade copied successfully from A to B

How It Works

The signal flow from your bot to your prop firm account:

TERMINAL AYour Bot / EA
PROPOSSender
LOCAL FILESInvisible Bridge
PROPOSReceiver
TERMINAL BProp Firm
No internet, no external servers, no third parties. Everything happens locally on your computer through shared files. The prop firm sees only standard MetaTrader trades ▷ completely indistinguishable from manual trading.

What You Need

  • Two MT5 terminals ▷ same broker or different brokers. Both must be on the same computer.
  • Terminal A ▷ where your bot/EA runs. Any broker, any account (demo or real). NOT your prop firm.
  • Terminal B ▷ your prop firm account (FTMO, FundedNext, The5ers, Alpha Capital, E8, Funding Pips).
  • PropOS_Challenge_Workstation.ex5 ▷ placed in the MQL5\Experts folder of both terminals.
  • AutoTrading enabled ▷ the green play button must be active in both terminals.

Mirror vs Entry Only

Choose the copy mode that fits your strategy.

Mirror Mode RECOMMENDED

Full 1:1 copy. Your receiver is a perfect clone of the sender.

  • Opens are copied instantly
  • Closes are copied instantly
  • SL/TP modifications are mirrored
  • Partial closes are replicated
  • Best when your bot handles exits well
  • PropOS compliance still protects you

Entry Only Mode

Only the entry signal is copied. PropOS manages all exits independently.

  • Opens are copied from the sender
  • PropOS sets its own SL and TP
  • Independent trailing stop on receiver
  • Sender closes are NOT copied
  • Best when you want PropOS exit protection
  • Good for bots with weak exit logic

Troubleshooting

Trades are not being copied

Check in order: 1) Channel names must match exactly on both Sender and Receiver (case-sensitive, no extra spaces). 2) AutoTrading must be enabled in both terminals (green play button). 3) In the EA properties (right-click EA on chart → Properties → Common), "Allow Algo Trading" must be checked. 4) Confirm Sender shows "ROUTER (SENDER)" and Receiver shows "ROUTER (RECEIVER)".

I see a delay in copying

Normal delay is under 1 second. If longer: 1) Disable HFT Throttle in Router settings. 2) Both terminals must be on the same computer. 3) Check your computer is not under heavy CPU/disk load.

Can I run Sender and Receiver on different computers?

No. They communicate through local files in the MT5 Common folder. Both terminals must be on the same computer. This is what makes the connection invisible and instantaneous.

Can I copy to multiple prop firm accounts?

Yes. Run one Sender and multiple Receivers with the same channel name. Each Receiver has independent risk settings and prop firm profile. You need a separate MT5 terminal for each account.

What happens if I restart a terminal?

PropOS automatically recovers. The Receiver runs a reconciliation process on restart that detects orphan positions and syncs them. No manual action needed.

What if my bot does not use stop losses?

PropOS has Fallback SL settings applied automatically when the sender's trade has no SL. Defaults: 1500 ticks for Gold, 120 ticks for Forex. Customizable in Router parameters. Your prop firm account always has a stop loss.

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