[ntp:questions] Quick sync between two computers not connected to the internet

Richard B. Gilbert rgilbert88 at comcast.net
Sat Mar 20 18:10:48 UTC 2010


Rob wrote:
> Richard B. Gilbert <rgilbert88 at comcast.net> wrote:
>> The easiest thing to do if you can site an antenna where it will have an 
>>   unobstructed view of the sky, is to purchase a "hardware reference 
>> clock".  The cheapest goes for about $100 US.  It's called a GPS18-LVC 
>> if memory serves me.  If my memory fails me I'm sure someone will be 
>> delighted to point it out!  ;-)
> 
> A reference clock is completely unnecessary for what he wants to do,
> let alone a view of the sky.
> 
> One computer can be synced to the other, and the objective has been
> achieved.
> 
> I am not sure if Windows XP can act as an NTP time server without install
> of ntpd.  It can act as a client with no problem.
> Maybe ntpd has to be installed on one PC (with LOCAL as the reference
> clock) and then the other can either use the w32time standard NTP service
> or ntpd can be installed on the second PC as well.

Have you ever tried synching two computers, neither of which has a 
stable and accurate source of time?  It usually looks something like one 
drunken driver trying to follow another!

PCs, in particular, tend to suffer from clock drift.  If computers did 
have stable and accurate clocks, what would we need NTP for?




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