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Date:      Sun, 13 Jan 2002 09:50:37 -0800 (PST)
From:      Matt Wilbur <matt@efs.org>
To:        Joe & Fhe Barbish <barbish@a1poweruser.com>
Cc:        FBSD Questions <questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
Subject:   Re: ntpd as time server?
Message-ID:  <20020113093654.D7766-100000@sublime.efs.org>
In-Reply-To: <LPBBIGIAAKKEOEJOLEGOIEGCCMAA.barbish@a1poweruser.com>

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Comments inline...

On Sun, 13 Jan 2002, Joe & Fhe Barbish wrote:
[snip]
> The ntpdate function is the brute force method of syncing
> the pc hardware clock with any ntp internet server one
> wants to use for this purpose.
> For a home dialup ISP gateway box this is the recommended
> method of keeping the gateway FBSD box's clock accurate
> every time the box is booted.
>

ntpdate uses ntp to sync your clock once, and is tolerant of large time
differences between the host and the servers time, where ntpd is not.

> The small servers defined in inetd.conf include the
> timed & timedc. This set of services use a different method
> of pc clock syncing than ntpd. The main point is it does not
> create a ntp protocol time server that can be accessed by IP address.
>

the time small server in inetd, is completely different from timed/timedc.
timed can be used in a LAN setting, i've currently got a time 'master'
that sets its clock from a good source via ntpd, and runs timed in 'master'
mode. The unix client systems on that segment run timed (slave-only mode),
and windows boxes run d4 (timed client) or sync natively via ntp
w/w32time (win2k).

> The final option is ntpd. This function does get the time from a
> internet ntp server to update the requesting FBSD box, and keeps
> the clock accurate by making very small adjustment over long periods
> of time. It can be configurated to broadcast time packets to all machines
> on the private net it is connected to.
> It is not a ntp time server with a unique IP address.

I don't know what you mean by the last sentence.  It is an ntp server,
it binds to a socket on the systems IP address.. Typically you would set
your client machine's ntpds to point at your server, and they'd sync..
ntpd has broadcast/multicast capabilities, but i've not ever used them..

> Only FBSD boxes on the private net with ntpd clients can hear
> the broadcasted time packets and adjust there clocks. The only way for a
> Winbox to use this function is to have Samba running on the FBSD to fake
> out the Winboxs into thinking it's a NT or Win2k server. This sure is
> overkill just to get synced time across the private net.  One responder
> did point out that there is a Winbox program which will utilize the ntpd
> info to set the Winbox clock. This may be a option if I ever have to upgrade
> all the Winboxs to a common release of Windows, other than that it would
> be to hard to roll out a new clock program to all the Winbox users.
> The main point again is it does not create a ntp protocol time server that
> can be accessed by IP address from other Winboxs on the private net.
>

Ok, where to start.  Any unix system with ntpd/xntpd can 'sync' time with
an ntp server.  NT4 systems can run a number of free time sync tools, like
Dimension4, Windows2k systems can natively sync time with a unix ntp server
if you make some (well documented) registry tweaks and restart the w32time
service.  See M$ KB article Q223184.  `Doze XP systems have a place to put
an NTP host in the Date/Time settings stuff.  You don't need samba, even
a little bit, not for this.

> So I would say this pretty well covers the facilities that are delivered as
> part of the base install. None of then are compatible with what is currently
> running on the Winboxs in my private LAN behind the FBSD gateway/firewall.
>

I'd say they are .. man ntpd, man ntpdate, man ntp.conf, man timed

HTH,
Matt Wilbur


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