Introduction
This guide, designed for beginners and no-code users, summarizes a practical approach using UptimeRobot to monitor if your VPS goes down, while also preparing for the possibility of “the VPS being alive but MT5 or the EA stopping”. The key is adjusting the “monitoring sensitivity” based on the EA type (Non-Scalping or Scalping).
Key Takeaways First (Minimum Setup Guidelines)
Non-Scalping & Pending Orders / With Stop Loss (SL)
- Risk is relatively low. Pending orders and Stop Loss (SL) are typically stored and executed on the broker’s server-side with most brokers, so orders will still work even if the terminal (MT5) crashes.
*Note: The triggering and adjustment of Trailing Stops depend on the terminal and are an exception. - Avoid making monitoring overly sensitive for more stable operation.
- UptimeRobot: Ping (5-min) + RDP Port monitoring if needed is sufficient.
- As a supplement, enabling MT5 push notifications (trade notifications) helps indicate “trades are executing as usual = it’s alive”.
The EAs on this site fall under the “Non-Scalping & Pending Orders / With SL” category.
Scalping EAs (Market orders, seconds to minutes timeframe) or EAs without Server-Side SL
- High risk of unexpected losses if the market moves sharply while MT5/EA is stopped.
- High-sensitivity monitoring is recommended. Beyond VPS availability, knowing the “heartbeat” of MT5/EA provides peace of mind.
- For a no-code approach: UptimeRobot (shorter intervals) + MT5 trade notifications.
- For stricter monitoring, introduce pre-made “notification-only indicators/EAs” to send regular notifications (pseudo-heartbeat) for increased accuracy.
Related Article: EA Order Types and Risk Comparison | Market, Pending, SL/TP vs. VPS Downtime Safety
Why “MT5/EA Can Stop Even if the VPS is Running”
- MT5 didn’t start after Windows automatic restart / update
- MT5 disconnected due to temporary network instability → EA doesn’t trade
- Disconnected due to expired login credentials/certificates, or trade server switch
- MT5 instability due to full disk / bloated logs
- EA enters “standby mode” due to symbol name changes, specification changes, etc.
- Application-side issues like low memory / crashes
The key countermeasure is to monitor “VPS survival” and “MT5/EA operation” as separate layers.
Related Articles:
VPS Operation Basics: Preventing Stops and Slowdowns
MT5 Log Bloat Countermeasures | How to Delete Operation Logs, Experts, Backtests for Optimization
Choosing the ‘Cheapest VPS’: Thorough Comparison of Low Latency, Stable Operation, and Cost Performance Optimal for EA Operation (2025 Edition, Global)
What is UptimeRobot? (Overview)
UptimeRobot is a monitoring service that automatically checks the uptime of servers and web services, notifying you upon downtime. It offers a free plan (5-minute intervals, up to 50 monitors), allowing you to start with zero cost. The monitor types are beginner-friendly and well-suited for EA/MT5 VPS operation, including Ping monitoring, Port monitoring (e.g., RDP:3389), HTTP(S) monitoring, Keyword monitoring, Heartbeat, DNS monitoring, and more. Alert destinations include Email, plus support for Telegram / Slack / Discord / Webhook, etc. Starting simply with just email and expanding as needed is recommended.
By following the steps in the upcoming section “What to Do with UptimeRobot (No-Code)”, you can set up a basic, free system for immediate notification if your VPS goes down.
What to Do with UptimeRobot (No-Code)
1) Ping Monitoring (Mandatory)
- Monitor Target: VPS Global IP
- Monitoring Interval: 5 minutes (Free plan standard)
- Alerts: Set to notify after 2-3 consecutive failures to reduce false alarms.
2) Port Monitoring (Optional)
- Monitor Target: RDP 3389/TCP (Skip if not open to the outside)
- Purpose: Early detection of a “cannot connect” state.
3) Alert Destinations
- Email: Sufficient to start (specify an address you check frequently).
- Telegram/Slack: Add later for improved immediacy.
- Suppress Maintenance Alerts: Utilize settings to disable notifications during maintenance.
This will reliably catch VPS or network downtime. However, addressing the “only MT5/EA stops” problem requires additional indicators.
No-Code Ways to Sense “MT5/EA Activity”
A. MT5 Push Notifications (Mobile Integration)
- Enable Push Notifications in MT5 Options → Notifications, enter your MetaQuotes ID from the mobile app, and perform a test send.
- Enable Trade Notifications (order placement, execution, etc.).
- Receiving execution notifications as usual is an indicator the EA is running.
If you normally have daily activity but get zero notifications for a full day or more, investigation is needed.
B. Using Pre-made “Notification-Only Indicators/EAs” (No-Code Installation)
- Search MQL5 Market etc. for products related to “regular notification”, “heartbeat”, “operation monitoring”.
- Check source credibility (reviews, update frequency) and required permissions (external sending/Telegram integration, etc.).
- After installation, consolidate notifications to UptimeRobot’s email/Telegram to reduce oversights.
While achieving a full heartbeat without code is difficult, combining trade notifications + pre-made tools brings you close to a practically sufficient level.
EA Type Guide: Monitoring “Sensitivity” Levels
Non-Scalping & Pending Orders / With Stop Loss (SL)
- UptimeRobot: Ping (5-min) + (if needed) RDP Port
- Alert Threshold: Notify after 2-3 consecutive failures (avoid oversensitivity).
- Note: SL/Limit & Stop-Limit orders are server-side managed by most brokers, so they execute even during terminal downtime (but Trailing Stops are terminal-dependent).
- MT5 Side: (If needed) Enable Trade Notifications (loose monitoring for “is it working as usual”).
Scalping (seconds to minutes) or EAs without Server-Side SL
- UptimeRobot: Ping (shorter intervals if possible / consider paid plan) + RDP Port
- Alert Threshold: Notify immediately after 1-2 failures (high sensitivity).
- MT5 Side: Enable Trade Notifications + Pre-made Regular Notification Indicator/EA (“Pseudo-heartbeat”).
- Operation: Prepare VPS restart procedures and contact flow (decide on night-time response policy).
When an Alert Triggers (Simple Runbook)
- Ping also fails: Potential VPS/network failure → Check VPS provider status / Contact support.
- Ping is OK, but trade notifications are zero for a long time: Remote connect to MT5 → Check connection status (network indicator bottom-right), account login, margin, maintenance margin, market holidays, symbol specification changes.
Check “View → Terminal → Journal/Experts” for errors. - After recovery: Perform one action to prevent recurrence (e.g., schedule auto-reboot day, delete unnecessary logs, regularize time sync).
Habits to Reduce Troubles
- Weekly Maintenance Window (Schedule Windows Update & reboot for the same time each week).
- Strict Time Synchronization (Time drift causes trade execution issues).
- Maintain at least 5-10GB Free Disk Space (prevents log bloat).
- Schedule MT5 Auto-Update timing within the maintenance window.
About This Site’s EAs
The EAs on this site are generally of the “Non-Scalping & Pending Orders / With Stop Loss (SL)” type. All positions have an SL set, so even if the VPS or MT5 crashes during sharp market moves, the server-side registered SL helps avoid unexpected losses.
VPS monitoring can be minimal, with UptimeRobot used as a supplementary measure.
Summary
- Use UptimeRobot to monitor VPS uptime, and sense MT5/EA activity via trade notifications + (if needed) pre-made regular notification indicators/EAs.
- For Non-Scalping & Pending Orders / With SL, less sensitive settings are more practical.
- For Scalping or EAs without Stop Loss, increase alert sensitivity and add a “pseudo-heartbeat”, prioritizing early anomaly detection.
FAQ
- Q. Is the free plan (5-minute monitoring) sufficient?
- A. For non-scalping EAs, it’s sufficient in many cases. Scalping EAs are sensitive to market movements; consider the paid plan or supplementary notifications (trade notifications, regular notification indicators) if you want shorter intervals.
- Q. What’s the difference between Ping and RDP Port monitoring?
- A. Ping checks server survival, RDP checks if “remote connection is possible”. Skip port monitoring if RDP isn’t open externally.
- Q. What should I set for MT5 push notifications?
- A. “Enable Notifications”, register your MetaQuotes ID, confirm receipt via test send. Also, turn ON “Trade Notifications (order placement, execution, etc.)”.
- Q. Are pending orders or stop loss safe if MT5 crashes?
- A. They are stored and executed server-side by most brokers. However, triggering and adjustment of Trailing Stops depend on the terminal (MT5).
- Q. What should I add for scalping EAs?
- A. Shorten UptimeRobot’s monitoring interval, enable MT5 trade notifications. Further, add a “pseudo-heartbeat” using a pre-made regular notification indicator/EA to improve detection accuracy.
- Q. Ping fails but the EA seems to be running.
- A. ICMP (Ping) might be blocked on the VPS side. Don’t judge solely by Ping; also check trade notifications and connection status.
- Q. Can I stop notifications during maintenance?
- A. UptimeRobot allows suppressing alerts during set maintenance periods or pausing monitors. Fixing a weekly maintenance window simplifies operation.