[ntp:questions] NTP on local networks

Will Shackleford shackle at nist.gov
Mon Jul 30 15:47:18 UTC 2012


We have several computers  with several different operating systems on a 
local network with no radios and no internet connection.
The main goal is to keep them synchronized with each other.

One frustration I have had is that clients tend to refuse to connect to 
servers on the network
that are "not good enough". I assume "not good enough" means too high a 
stratum although the
error messages are not that clear.

My current solution is to take a laptop to another room with an internet 
connection, let it sit for an hour and
then bring it back to connect the local network where finally the other 
computers will accept it and synchronize with it.


Questions:

How can I configure a client/peer to always accept a server as "good 
enough" or atleast always accept the server
when no other server can be contacted? (please answer for any platform 
below you can)


Fedora 6:
Fedora 10:
Fedora 14:
Ubuntu 11.04:
Windows XP:


How can I configure a server to always consider itself "good enough" and 
report that (lie if necessary) so that any badly configured
client will still connect?(please answer for any platform below you can)


Fedora 6:
Fedora 10:
Fedora 14:
Ubuntu 11.04:
Windows XP:



Just for my own curiosity, why is just refusing to do what the operator 
wants the default behavior for clients/peers? Why not always
synchronize as well as you can with whichever peers/hosts you can contact?










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