Copilink Quick Start Guide: From Installation to First Live Trade Copy in Under 2 Hours

The full Copilink setup is comprehensively documented at copilink.com — installation instructions, configuration guides, and the support resources to help when something isn't working as expected. This guide is a companion piece: the practical walkthrough that covers the decisions and steps in the order that works, including the judgment calls that documentation doesn't make for you.

Prerequisites: What You Need Before Starting

Before installing Copilink, confirm:

• NinjaTrader 8 is installed and working on Windows (your local machine, Parallels, or a VPS)
• You can connect to at least one Tradovate-based prop firm account through NinjaTrader using the "NinjaTrader" connection type (not the legacy "Tradovate" connection)
• All prop firm accounts you intend to copy to are added to NinjaTrader's Connection Manager and connect successfully
• You have your Copilink license key from your purchase at copilink.com

The "NinjaTrader" connection type requirement is critical. If your accounts are set up with the legacy "Tradovate" connection, remove them and re-add them using the "NinjaTrader" connection before proceeding. See the full walkthrough in our multi-provider mode guide.

Installation

Step 1: Download the Copilink installer from your account at copilink.com.

Step 2: Close NinjaTrader completely before running the installer. NinjaTrader needs to be fully closed — not just minimized — for the add-on installer to place files correctly.

Step 3: Run the installer as Administrator (right-click → Run as administrator). Accept the installation path defaults unless you have a specific reason to change them.

Step 4: When the installer completes, open NinjaTrader. Navigate to Tools → NinjaTrader Ecosystem → Add Ons to verify Copilink appears in the installed add-ons list. If it doesn't appear, the installation may not have completed correctly — retry with NinjaTrader fully closed.

Step 5: Activate your license key when prompted on first launch.

Configuring the Leader Account

The leader is the account whose trades get copied. This is your personal trading account — the one you make decisions on manually or through a strategy. For most prop traders, the leader is either a personal Tradovate account or one of their prop firm accounts that you've designated as the trade source.

In Copilink's interface (accessible through NinjaTrader's menu after installation):

1. Select "Leader" mode for the account you're designating as the source
2. Set the leader's instrument — the primary futures instrument you trade (NQ, ES, CL, etc.)
3. Verify the leader account connection is active in NinjaTrader before continuing

The leader account should be the account where you have the clearest execution and monitoring. On a VPS, this is typically the account with the best connection latency to CME — the Tradovate account with the NinjaTrader connection type, verified as connected.

Adding Follower Accounts

For each prop firm account you want to copy trades to:

1. In Copilink's follower configuration panel, add the account using its NinjaTrader connection identifier
2. Set the contract ratio: start at 1:1 (same size as leader) for initial testing; adjust to appropriate ratio based on account size and cushion calculations from the position sizing guide
3. Configure per-account risk parameters:
   • Daily loss limit: 70-80% of the firm's official limit
   • Consistency ceiling tracking: enabled for Apex accounts, disabled for Topstep/Tradeify/MFFU
   • Anti-hedging protection: enabled, tolerance window set per firm
4. Confirm the account is shown as active in Copilink's dashboard

Repeat for all follower accounts. For large account portfolios (10+ accounts), use the group configuration approach — configure one account from each firm tier fully, then duplicate the configuration to similar accounts, adjusting only account-specific identifiers.

The First Test Copy

Before going live, verify the copy works correctly in simulation:

1. Set all follower accounts to paper trading mode temporarily (in NinjaTrader, switch each connection to simulation)
2. Place a small market order on the leader account (1 MNQ long is a low-risk test)
3. Verify all follower accounts receive the corresponding position within 1-3 seconds
4. Place a market order to close the leader position
5. Verify all follower accounts close simultaneously
6. Check Copilink's log for any error messages during the test sequence

If the test copy succeeds cleanly — leader entries and exits replicate to all followers correctly, with no error logs — switch follower accounts back to live mode and proceed to the first live session.

If any accounts don't receive the copy, or if there are error messages in the log: diagnose before going live. Common issues: connection type (legacy Tradovate vs NinjaTrader connection), account not active in Connection Manager, or a follower account's session expired and needs reconnection. Fix each issue specifically before the first live copy rather than hoping it resolves during a live trading session.