Howto use ntpd time synchronization???

Schmurff · 03-10-2004, 10:53 PM

Hello everybody,

I have installed the ntp package, but don't yet know how to make it set my desktopclock to the right time.
Read the manuals, but holy <beep> what a lot of techtalk! I get lost in a jungle of technical details, and my "dummy-feeling" becomes stronger after each line of the man-pages.
Does anybody have experience with this? I will be very glad with some practical advice.
Thnx in advance!

Schmurff

jtshaw · 03-10-2004, 11:20 PM

What you need to do is setup and ntp.conf file

here is mine:

Code:

restrict 127.0.0.1
fudge 127.127.1.0 stratum 3
server <serveraddress/ip>
server <serveraddress/ip>
server <serveraddress/ip>
server <serveraddress/ip>
driftfile /var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift
logfile /var/log/ntp.log

1. Runs only for the local machine (ntpd can be used to run a time server for others as well).
2. Sets up the servers to use
3. What that does is sets /var/lib/ntp/ntp.drift as the drift file (don't worry about it, just make sure you choose a place that ntpd can write to).
4. Tells it to log to ntp.log in /var/log

I removed the server addresses I use, please look up addresses here: http://www.eecis.udel.edu/~mills/ntp/clock2a.html

Now that file should go in /etc
Run ntpd with a command line like ntpd -u ntp:ntp
This requires you have a user/group called ntp and will run the server under that user or group. It is safer then running it as root.