Spot the symptom
In MetaTrader (MT4 or MT5), connection status shows in the bottom-right corner. 'No connection' or a red icon means the platform cannot reach your broker's server. Prices that are frozen or blank, while the status looks connected, usually point to a market that is closed or to the specific symbols not being enabled.
Knowing which of these two you are seeing — no connection versus no prices — points you straight at the right fix.
Fixing "no connection"
Work through these in order: 1) Check your own internet connection with any website. 2) Confirm you selected the correct trading server for your account — brokers often have several (demo vs live, and numbered servers), and choosing the wrong one causes 'invalid account' or no connection. 3) Re-enter your login number and password carefully; a wrong password shows as a failed connection. 4) Restart MetaTrader, and if needed re-add the account via File then Login to Trade Account.
If it still won't connect, a firewall, VPN, or public/office network may be blocking the platform's ports. Try a different network (such as a phone hotspot) to test. Persistent failures across networks may mean the broker's server is down — check its status page or support.
Fixing "connected but no prices"
If the status is fine but a chart shows no ticks, first check whether that market is actually open — shares, indices and many instruments are closed overnight and at weekends, so prices legitimately stop. Second, make sure the symbol is enabled: open Market Watch, right-click, choose 'Show All', and the missing symbols usually appear and start updating.
If some symbols update and others don't during open hours, the broker may not offer that instrument on your account type, or it may be temporarily suspended. Support can confirm which it is.
When it is the broker, not you
If you have verified your internet, server, login, and symbols, and the market is open, the problem is likely on the broker's side — a server outage or maintenance. Contact support with the exact status message and a screenshot, and check for any announced maintenance window.
Keep a record if outages are frequent during important market hours. Occasional downtime happens to everyone, but a platform that regularly drops out when you most need it — for example, only when you are trying to close a losing trade — is worth questioning, and worth checking the broker's regulation over.