# Monitor FIX traffic

**URL:** <https://forum.fixtrading.org/t/monitor-fix-traffic/4307>\
**Category:** General Q&A\
**Tags:** general-qa, xid\_167448, imported\
**Created:** [August 3, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.fixtrading.org/t/monitor-fix-traffic/4307 "2007-08-03T22:29:09Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![hongruiliu\_x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f8ce5/32.png) [@hongruiliu\_x](https://forum.fixtrading.org/u/hongruiliu_x)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.fixtrading.org/t/monitor-fix-traffic/4307/1 "2007-08-03T22:29:09Z")

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Imported from previous forum

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**Author:** ![hongruiliu\_x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f8ce5/32.png) [@hongruiliu\_x](https://forum.fixtrading.org/u/hongruiliu_x)\
**Post date:** [August 3, 2007, 10:29pm UTC](https://forum.fixtrading.org/t/monitor-fix-traffic/4307/2 "2007-08-03T22:29:09Z")

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Hi  
I am new to FIX area, just started to learn FIX protocols. I have following questions and need your help:

1. Is FIX being used between end user and stock broker? I tried to capture packets with a sniffer when accessing my Fidelity account with IE browser, all I get are HTTPS packets, looks like the data is SSL encrypted, and can’t really see any packets with FIX headers.
2. Is FIX ONLY used between financial firms? In that case, are the messages between financial firms also encrypted, or they are just FIX traffic without encryption since the packets traveling within VPN over secured channels?

I have found some open source FIX engine such as QuickFIX which can help me to learn FIX protocol, but still I’d like to know how the FIX protocol being used in the real world.

Thanks,  
-Hongrui

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**Author:** ![fplpo\_x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@fplpo\_x](https://forum.fixtrading.org/u/fplpo_x)\
**Post date:** [August 13, 2007, 11:30pm UTC](https://forum.fixtrading.org/t/monitor-fix-traffic/4307/3 "2007-08-13T23:30:47Z")

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[original email was from Rodrick Brown - [rodrick.brown@lehman.com](mailto:rodrick.brown@lehman.com) ]  
\> Hi I am new to FIX area, just started to learn FIX protocols. I have

> following questions and need your help:
> 
> 1. Is FIX being used between end user and stock broker? I tried to  
> capture packets with a sniffer when accessing my Fidelity account  
> with IE browser, all I get are HTTPS packets, looks like the data is

Since your fideltiy client as you stated is a web browser you wont see any FIX sessions originating from your side Fidelity most likley will have some kind of backend system that reads your orders from a database and send them to another OMS or Exchange via FIX or other means where they will be executed.

> SSL encrypted, and can’t really see any packets with FIX headers.  
> Yes because of  
> 2) Is FIX ONLY used between financial firms? In that case, are the  
> messages between financial firms also encrypted, or they are just  
> Yes FIX is used between two financial parties who are looking to buy/sel/trade securities.

FIX

> traffic without encryption since the packets traveling within VPN  
> over secured channels?  
> The most standard setup is to use dedicated lines between parties. VPN/SSL tends to add overhead and makes your setup much more complex.

> I have found some open source FIX engine such as QuickFIX which can help  
> me to learn FIX protocol, but still I’d like to know how the FIX  
> protocol being used in the real world.

You can start by reading the documentation provide here on [fixprotocol.org](http://fixprotocol.org) generally FIX is used between buy side institutions/hedge funds as well as the sell side brokers/dealers to buy/sell securities.

> Thanks, -Hongrui

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**Author:** ![hongruiliu\_x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f8ce5/32.png) [@hongruiliu\_x](https://forum.fixtrading.org/u/hongruiliu_x)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 6:40pm UTC](https://forum.fixtrading.org/t/monitor-fix-traffic/4307/4 "2007-08-28T18:40:02Z")

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Thanks a lot for the input.

-Hongrui

> > Hi I am new to FIX area, just started to learn FIX protocols. I have  
> > following questions and need your help:
> > 
> > 1. Is FIX being used between end user and stock broker? I tried to  
> > capture packets with a sniffer when accessing my Fidelity  
> > account with IE browser, all I get are HTTPS packets, looks like  
> > the data is
> 
> Since your fideltiy client as you stated is a web browser you wont see  
> any FIX sessions originating from your side Fidelity most likley will  
> have some kind of backend system that reads your orders from a database  
> and send them to another OMS or Exchange via FIX or other means where  
> they will be executed.
> 
> > SSL encrypted, and can’t really see any packets with FIX headers.  
> > Yes because of  
> > 2) Is FIX ONLY used between financial firms? In that case, are the  
> > messages between financial firms also encrypted, or they are just  
> > Yes FIX is used between two financial parties who are looking to  
> > buy/sel/trade securities.
> 
> FIX
> 
> > traffic without encryption since the packets traveling within VPN  
> > over secured channels?  
> > The most standard setup is to use dedicated lines between parties.  
> > VPN/SSL tends to add overhead and makes your setup much more complex.
> 
> > I have found some open source FIX engine such as QuickFIX which can  
> > help me to learn FIX protocol, but still I’d like to know how the FIX  
> > protocol being used in the real world.
> 
> You can start by reading the documentation provide here on  
> [fixprotocol.org](http://fixprotocol.org) generally FIX is used between buy side  
> institutions/hedge funds as well as the sell side brokers/dealers to  
> buy/sell securities.
> 
> > Thanks, -Hongrui

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**Author:** ![fplpo\_x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/7ab992/32.png) [@fplpo\_x](https://forum.fixtrading.org/u/fplpo_x)\
**Post date:** [August 28, 2007, 7:39pm UTC](https://forum.fixtrading.org/t/monitor-fix-traffic/4307/5 "2007-08-28T19:39:03Z")

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[original email was from Ryan Pierce - [rpierce@taltrade.com](mailto:rpierce@taltrade.com) ]  
\> Hi I am new to FIX area, just started to learn FIX protocols. I have

> following questions and need your help:

The following draft document may be of help regarding FIX usage and security:

[http://www.fixprotocol.org/documents/3556/FIX%20Security%20White%20Paper.pdf](http://www.fixprotocol.org/documents/3556/FIX%20Security%20White%20Paper.pdf)

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![hongruiliu\_x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/5f8ce5/32.png) [@hongruiliu\_x](https://forum.fixtrading.org/u/hongruiliu_x)\
**Post date:** [September 1, 2007, 12:15am UTC](https://forum.fixtrading.org/t/monitor-fix-traffic/4307/6 "2007-09-01T00:15:43Z")

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This document answered most of the questions I have in mind. Thanks for the pointer.

-Hongrui

> The following draft document may be of help regarding FIX usage  
> and security:
> 
> [http://www.fixprotocol.org/documents/3556/FIX%20Security%20White%2-](http://www.fixprotocol.org/documents/3556/FIX%20Security%20White%252-)  
> 0Paper.pdf