how to set ntp server ip address in windows

How to Configure a Local NTP Server

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Typically, devices rely on an internet time server and a clock source, such as a GPS satellite, to synchronize time across devices. However, in an offline scenario, where devices are not connected to the internet, time synchronization must be achieved via a local Network Time Protocol (NTP) server.

If you require a local NTP server:

• Check with your IT team. An NTP server may already have been provisioned.
• If an NTP server is not already available, create a Windows-based NTP server using the instructions on this page.

Check the Prerequisites

Prerequisites

• Note : Procedures listed on this page have been tested using Windows 10. Other Windows versions may have a slightly different workflow.
• You must have Administrator privileges to configure the Windows server.
• Requires a basic understanding of Windows registry. Caution should be used when updating the registry.

Configure the Windows Time Service

• In the File Explorer, navigate to:  Control Panel\System and Security\Administrative Tools

Double-click Services . This same task can be completed by entering services.msc in the Windows Run dialog (Windows Key + R).

In the Services list, right-click on Windows Time and click Stop . Note : The Windows Time service may already be stopped. In this case, skip this step and go to the next step to Update the Windows Registry.

Update the Windows Registry to Create a Local NTP Service

• Launch Windows Run  (Windows Key + R).

Enter regedit and click OK .

Navigate to the registry key:  Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

Right-click in the Registry Editor, select New , select DWORD , and enter LocalNTP (note that this name is case sensitive).

Double-click LocalNTP,  change the Value data to 1,  select a Base of Hexadecimal , and click OK .

• Do not close the Registry Editor because it is used in the following steps.

Update the Windows Registry to Configure the Time Provider

• Navigate to the registry key:  Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders

Select NtpServer , double-click Enabled , change the Value Data to 1 , select a Base of Hexadecimal , and click OK .

• Do  not  close the Registry Editor because it is used in the following steps.

Update the Windows Registry to Configure the Announce Flags

• Navigate to the registry key: Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config

Double-click  AnnounceFlags , change the  Value data  to  5 , select a  Base  of  Hexadecimal , and click  OK .

• Close the Registry Editor.

Start the Local Windows NTP Time Service

• Double-click  Services .
• Startup type: Automatic
• Service Status: Start

The local NTP Time Server configuration is now complete. You now can synchronize the time of other computers and devices on your local network.

Synchronize Time on OT Link Platform Devices

In order for devices on your local network to communicate with this new local time server, you must know the IP address of the Windows NTP Time Server.

• On the Windows server that you just configured as an NTP server, go to the Windows Command Prompt , enter: ipconfig
• Locate the IP address of the NTP server .
• Go to either the OT Link Platform Web UI or the OT Link Platform Terminal User Interface (TUI) and enter the address of the local NTP server. See also,  OT Link Platform Terminal User Interface .

Configure a Local NTP Server:

How to Set NTP Server on Windows Server?

Timing is everything! There are thousands of NTP servers around the world. Both the protocol and the client-server program that runs on computers are referred to as NTP. Network Time Protocol (NTP) is an internet protocol used to synchronize with computer clock time sources in a network.  Join us with this article to review the way you can Set NTP Server on Windows Server. A time-stamp data exchange takes place between the server and client, which aids in precisely setting the time on the client systems to match the time on the NTP server.

Since a discrepancy of even a fraction of a second can cause problems, accurate time for all devices on a computer network is important for many reasons. So, NTP Server supports time synchronization and is made to be very fault-tolerant and scalable. After buying Windows VPS , you might need to synchronize the machines on your network at the same time. Setting up NTP Server on Windows Server is what you can do perfectly at the end of this guide. Let’s get started to make your NTP Server ready to synchronize time across your network.

What is NTP Server and Why Set it Up?

NTP is a network protocol that enables you to synchronize clocks on devices over a network. It always makes sure that time differences between the server and client systems are minimized and that client systems are always in sync with the server. It listens on UDP port 123. Many services and IT applications depend on proper time settings to work as intended, thus keeping your server’s clock accurate is crucial. These comprise, to name a few, database replication, monitoring and auditing applications, and logging services. Server time skew, and client time skew in general, is undesirable and frequently results in conflict in time-critical applications. It is recommended to install and enable an NTP server on your server in order to keep accurate time settings on your server and, by extension, throughout the network.

Set NTP Server on Windows is not that complicated. This tutorial helps you to install and enable the NTP server on your server quickly and simply.

Steps to Set NTP Server on Windows Server

You can easily use NTP on your Windows Time service to synchronize time across a network. Let’s go through the steps of this guide to learn how to Install and Configure NTP Server on Windows. Two different methods will be explained, and you can choose the one you prefer more.

Step 1. Open Registry Editor

Search for the ” Run ” application in the start menu. There, type in ” regedit ” and press Enter.

There will appear a window similar to the one below.

Step 2. Find NTP Server Files

Follow the below path to go to the NTP Server Configuration:

Computer>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CurrentControlSet>Services>W32Time>TimeProviders>NtpServer.

You can see the tree’s end in the picture below. As you can see, the files we are looking for are on the right pane.

Step 3. Enable NTP Server

To open a tiny window, double-click the “ Enabled ” file. A section on the window titled “Value data” is there. As shown below, change the value from 0 to 1. After changing, click “OK”.

Step 4. Create the AnnounceFlags 5

First, let’s see what is AnnounceFlag?

This computer’s status as a trustworthy time server is controlled by entry. If a computer is not also designated as a time server, it cannot be certified as dependable. The default value for domain members is 10. The default value for stand-alone clients and servers is 10.

Follow the path below:

Computer>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CurrentControlSet>Services>W32Time>

To go to the ”Config”:

Computer>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CurrentControlSet>Services>W32Time>Config.

On the right pane, as seen above, you will find a file with the name “ AnnounceFlags ” while there. Double-click it. That will cause a tiny window akin to the one in Step 3 to open. Change the value from a to 5 under “ Value data “.

Step 5. Restart NTP Server

By pressing the Windows key and typing “ Services ,” the “Services” window will appear. Look for “Windows Time” once it has opened. Click “ Restart ” from the context menu when you right-click on it.

Step 6. Open UDP port 123 in the Firewall

Your Windows Server must have UDP port 123 open in order for NTP to connect to the clocks. Please check your firewall configuration if you can’t reach the servers. To complete this step, follow the How to open a Port on Windows VPS Firewall guide. Remember that this port is UDP and not TCP.

Configure NTP Using PowerShell

From Windows XP and Windows Server 2008 up to the most recent versions of each OS, PowerShell offers a command-line tool with the name w32tm.exe. You may set up your Windows PC to sync with online time servers using the w32tm.exe program. This is typically the tool of choice when configuring and keeping track of the time on your Windows Server installation. The command-line utility is very simple to use.

If you prefer to use PowerShell, the second method of this guide would be your preferred one to Set NTP Server on Windows. Just open your PowerShell as administrator and use the following commands to do all the steps of the previous method.

Enable NTP Server

Create the announceflags 5.

Restart NTP Server

Run the command below to allow NTP port: (If Firewall is running)

Most Used Commands to Configure NTP Server

Let’s review some useful commands while setting up NTP Server on Windows.

To check NTP configuration, run:

To check NTP server list, type:

To force NTP server synchronization, run:

Use the command below to show the source of the NTP time:

To show the status of NTP service, type:

At this point, you know everything you need to Set NTP Server on Windows Server.

How to Disable NTP Server on Windows Server?

To disable Windows Internet Time Update, follow the below steps:

1. Load Control Panel.

2. Click Date and Time.

3. Click the Internet Time tab.

4. Click Change settings.

5. Click to clear the checkbox to Synchronize with an Internet time server.

6. Click OK to save.

7. Close the Date and Time dialog box.

8. Close the Control Panel.

How Does NTP Server works on Windows?

A time-request exchange is started by the NTP client and the NTP server. The client can then determine the link latency, its local offset, and set its local clock to sync with the server computer's clock.

Is it possible to set my server to automatically sync time?

Yes. Go to the "Internet Time" tab and select "Change Settings." If you want the clock to sync automatically, click the "Synchronize with an internet time server" box; otherwise, uncheck it to set the clock manually.

Which NTP server is better to be used?

It is always advised to select an NTP server that is located close to the device you wish to time-synchronize. It is also advised to use a server that is hosted by a reputable business or organization.

In this article, you earned How to Set NTP Server on Windows Server. As we promised, it was simple and straightforward to set up an NTP server on your Windows server instance. After setting up the NTP service on your server, Windows clients connected to the domain will synchronize with the domain controllers and other domain controllers in your environment. Keep in mind that if NTP is set up on a virtual machine, make sure it is configured to exclusively sync with the time service rather than the host system.

If you follow the steps of this guide properly then you can smoothly install and Set NTP Server on Windows without any errors but do not hesitate to contact us if you encounter any problems. Our technical support team will try their best to solve your problems.

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How to configure an authoritative time server in Windows Server

• 5 contributors

This article describes how to configure the Windows Time service and troubleshoot when the Windows Time service doesn't work correctly.

Applies to:   Windows Server 2012 Standard, Windows Server 2012 Essentials Original KB number:   816042

To configure an internal time server to synchronize with an external time source, use the following method:

To configure the PDC in the root of an Active Directory forest to synchronize with an external time source, follow these steps:

Change the server type to NTP. To do this, follow these steps:

Select Start > Run , type regedit , and then select OK .

Locate and then select the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

In the pane on the right, right-click Type , and then select Modify .

In Edit Value , type NTP in the Value data box, and then select OK .

Set AnnounceFlags to 5. To do this, follow these steps:

Locate and then select the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config

In the pane on the right, right-click AnnounceFlags , and then select Modify .

In Edit DWORD Value , type 5 in the Value data box, and then select OK .

• If an authoritative time server that is configured to use an AnnounceFlag value of 0x5 does not synchronize with an upstream time server, a client server may not correctly synchronize with the authoritative time server when the time synchronization between the authoritative time server and the upstream time server resumes. Therefore, if you have a poor network connection or other concerns that may cause time synchronization failure of the authoritative server to an upstream server, set the AnnounceFlag value to 0xA instead of to 0x5 .
• If an authoritative time server that is configured to use an AnnounceFlag value of 0x5 and to synchronize with an upstream time server at a fixed interval that is specified in SpecialPollInterval , a client server may not correctly synchronize with the authoritative time server after the authoritative time server restarts. Therefore, if you configure your authoritative time server to synchronize with an upstream NTP server at a fixed interval that is specified in SpecialPollInterval , set the AnnounceFlag value to 0xA instead of 0x5 .

Enable NTPServer. To do this, follow these steps:

Locate and then select the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer

In the pane on the right, right-click Enabled , and then select Modify .

In Edit DWORD Value , type 1 in the Value data box, and then select OK .

Specify the time sources. To do this, follow these steps:

Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters

In the pane on the right, right-click NtpServer , and then select Modify .

In Edit Value , type Peers in the Value data box, and then select OK .

Peers is a placeholder for a space-delimited list of peers from which your computer obtains time stamps. Each DNS name that is listed must be unique. You must append ,0x1 to the end of each DNS name. If you do not append ,0x1 to the end of each DNS name, the changes that you make in step 5 will not take effect.

Configure the time correction settings. To do this, follow these steps:

Locate and then click the following registry subkey: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config

In the pane on the right, right-click MaxPosPhaseCorrection , and then select Modify .

In Edit DWORD Value , click to select Decimal in the Base box.

In Edit DWORD Value , type TimeInSeconds in the Value data box, and then select OK .

TimeInSeconds is a placeholder for a reasonable value, such as 1 hour (3600) or 30 minutes (1800). The value that you select will depend on the poll interval, network condition, and external time source. The default value of MaxPosPhaseCorrection is 48 hours in Windows Server 2008 R2 or later.

In the pane on the right, right-click MaxNegPhaseCorrection , and then select Modify .

TimeInSeconds is a placeholder for a reasonable value, such as 1 hour (3600) or 30 minutes (1800). The value that you select will depend on the poll interval, network condition, and external time source. The default value of MaxNegPhaseCorrection is 48 hours in Windows Server 2008 R2 or later.

Close Registry Editor.

At the command prompt, type the following command to restart the Windows Time service, and then press Enter:

Troubleshooting

For the Windows Time service to function correctly, the networking infrastructure must function correctly. The most common problems that affect the Windows Time service include the following:

• There is a problem with TCP/IP connectivity, such as a dead gateway.
• The Name Resolution service is not working correctly.
• The network is experiencing high volume delays, especially when synchronization occurs over high-latency wide area network (WAN) links.
• The Windows Time service is trying to synchronize with inaccurate time sources.

We recommend that you use the Netdiag.exe utility to troubleshoot network-related issues. Netdiag.exe is part of the Windows Server 2003 Support Tools package. See Tools Help for a complete list of command-line parameters that you can use with Netdiag.exe. If your problem is still not solved, you can turn on the Windows Time service debug log. Because the debug log can contain very detailed information, we recommend that you contact Microsoft Customer Support Services when you turn on the Windows Time service debug log.

In special cases, charges that are ordinarily incurred for support calls may be canceled if a Microsoft Support Professional determines that a specific update will resolve your problem. The usual support costs will apply to additional support questions and issues that do not qualify for the specific update in question.

More information

Windows Server includes W32Time, the Time Service tool that is required by the Kerberos authentication protocol. The Windows Time service makes sure that all computers in an organization that are running the Microsoft Windows 2000 Server operating system or later versions use a common time.

To guarantee appropriate common time usage, the Windows Time service uses a hierarchical relationship that controls authority, and the Windows Time service does not allow for loops. By default, Windows-based computers use the following hierarchy:

• All client desktop computers nominate the authenticating domain controller as their in-bound time partner.
• All member servers follow the same process that client desktop computers follow.
• All domain controllers in a domain nominate the primary domain controller (PDC) operations master as their in-bound time partner.
• All PDC operations masters follow the hierarchy of domains in the selection of their in-bound time partner.

In this hierarchy, the PDC operations master at the root of the forest becomes authoritative for the organization. We highly recommend that you configure the authoritative time server to obtain the time from a hardware source. When you configure the authoritative time server to sync with an Internet time source, there is no authentication. We also recommend that you reduce your time correction settings for your servers and stand-alone clients. These recommendations provide more accuracy and security to your domain.

For more information about Windows Time service, see:

• How to turn on debug logging in the Windows Time service
• How to configure the Windows Time service against a large time offset

For more information about the Windows Time service, see Windows Time Service (W32Time) .

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Setting up a ntp server and client.

The IT assets of a SCADA solution are required to have their times synchronized using a single time source (NTP server). Typically, this is handled by the domain controller. However, if a domain controller is not available or the IT assets are part of a workgroup, then a time source should be nominated, the Agent Server being the most logical choice.

Note – This exercise is based on Windows server 2019 as the NTP server and Windows 10 as the NTP clients

NTP Server configuration

The following will be configured on the primary time source. This will require the access of the server registries, before doing any changes it’s recommended that a backup of the registries be taken and stored off the affected server.

Step 1: Open the Registry Editor

Open the “Run” application type in “regedit” and click OK.

Step 2: Editing the NTP server registry settings.

Browse to the following path in the registry editor: Computer>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CurrentControlSet>Services>W32Time>TimeProviders>NtpServer .

Step 2.1: Enable the NTPServer

Edit the REG_DWORD “Enabled” and set the “Value data” from 0 to 1

Step 2.2: Set Announce flags

Browse to the registry editor path: Computer>HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE>SYSTEM>CurrentControlSet>Services>W32Time>Config Edit the REG_DWORD “AnnounceFlags” and change the Value Data to 5. Using parameter 0x5 will make this time server always advertise its time as a reliable time source for clients.

Step 3: Setup the Windows Time Service

Open the windows service console and browse for the service “Windows Time”. Right click on the service and click on the properties of the service. Set the dropdown box “Startup type” to “Automatic”. If the service is running restart the service else start the service. Note – If the Server’s firewall is enabled the UDP Port 123 will need to be opened.

NTP Client Configuration

The following steps must be run on all PC that are required to have their time synchronized to the NTP server time source.

Step 1: Open Command prompt

The NTP client setting will need to be run from the command prompt, which is running with elevated rights, i.e. “Run as Administrator”. Click on the start button and type “cmd” when the command prompt application appears select the “Run as Administrator” option in the start menu.

Step 2: Start the Windows Time service.

Before you can configure the Time service you will need to make sure the Windows time service is started. In the command prompt enter the following command net start w32time The service should respond with a started successfully. Note – if the service is already running the service will respond accordingly.

Step: 3: Configure the NTP client

The following command line will configure the client to the connected server. In the example below the NTP time source’s IP address is “192.168.0.101”. Substitute your IP address or DNS name. In the command prompt enter the following command.

w32tm /config /manualpeerlist:“192.168.0.101” /syncfromflags:manual /update

The service should respond with the command completed successfully.

Open the windows service console and browse for the service “Windows Time”. Right click on the service and click on the properties of the service.

Set the dropdown box “Startup type” to “Automatic”. If the service is running restart the service else start the service.

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How To Synchronize Microsoft Windows to a NTP Server

• by Editorial Staff
• May 2, 2018 December 9, 2020

Most modern operating systems, including Windows, can synchronize their system time to a NTP server. Windows utilizes a time service called ‘Windows Time’, which is automatically installed in the service list. The program executable is ‘w32time.exe’. The service is installed and enabled by default during installation.

Windows synchronizes time in different ways, depending on the network implementation utilized. When peer-to-peer networking is employed, each individual workstation sync to a time reference independently.

However, when Windows Domain Networking is deployed, only the Primary Domain Controller (PDC) synchronizes with a time reference. All other servers and workstations in the domain sync to the PDC using Windows proprietary protocol. The default installation procedure automatically configures workstations and servers to sync to the controlling PDC. Only the PDC needs to be configured to synchronize to an external time reference. Configuring a Windows Server to Sync to an External Time Reference.

Microsoft Windows Server 2008, Server 2003

To configure a Windows PDC to synchronize with an external NTP server requires registry entry changes. When modifying registry settings, it is always a good idea to backup the current settings beforehand. Backup and modification of the registry is easily achieved using the ‘regedit’ utility, which can be run from the command line. You can revert back to previous settings if any problems occur with registry changes. Use the registry editor ‘regedit’ to change the following entries:

1. Change the server type to NTP. Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters\Type Change value data to: NTP

2. Set announce flags. Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\AnnounceFlags Change value data to: 5

3. Enable NTP server Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpServer Change value data to: 1.

4. Specify the time sources. Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Parameters Change value data to: <peerlist> <peerlist> is a list of space-delimited NTP peers from which time can be received. If DNS names are used, you must append ‘,0x1’ to each DNS name. Alternatively, a list of IP addresses can be specified.

5. Select poll interval. Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient\SpecialPollInterval Change value data to: <period> <period> is the time in seconds between each poll. Microsoft recommends a value of 900, which equates to a polling frequency of once every 15 minutes.

6. Set the time correction settings. These settings specify a time frame to validate time stamps received from an external reference. Only if the received timestamp falls between these registry settings will they be accepted. It provides a facility to reject timestamps that are too far away from the hosts system time. Microsoft recommends a setting of 1 hour (3600) or 30 minutes (1800). Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\MaxPosPhaseCorrection Change value data to: <seconds> Where <seconds> is the maximum positive offset of the received time stamp from the system time.

Registry Key: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\W32Time\Config\MaxNegPhaseCorrection Change value data to: <seconds> Where <seconds> is the maximum negative offset of the received time stamp from the system time.

7. Restart the windows time service. Stop and restart the Windows Time Service using the ‘net stop’ and ‘net start’ commands: net stop w32time && net start w32time Synchronizing a Windows Workgroup

Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7

When Windows for Workgroups is deployed, you have to manually configure time synchronization settings. You need to specify the time server that the Windows Time Service is to use as a reference clock. This is a very straightforward process; simply specify the time reference that the host is to synchronise with using the ‘net time’ command:

Where <ntpserver> is the DNS name or IP address of the time reference.

Alternatively, you can utilize the date and time properties applet from the control panel. Select the ‘Internet Time’ tab from the applet, check ‘Automatically Synchronize with an Internet Time Server’ and enter the DNS name or IP address of the server. If you select ‘Update Now’ the time service will attempt to contact and synchronize with the time reference immediately.

Typical responses are:

‘The time has been successfully synchronized with <ntpserver>’ This indicates that the time reference was contacted successfully and synchronization has been successful.

‘An error occurred while Windows was synchronizing with <ntpserver>’ An attempt was made to contact the specified time reference, but no response was received.

‘An error occurred while Windows was synchronizing with <ntpserver>. The time sample was rejected because: The peer’s stratum is less than the host’s stratum.’ This indicates that contact was made with the specified time reference, but a problem was detected. Generally, it is because the time reference was in an unsynchronized state.

The applet will also periodically automatically synchronize with the specified reference. The next time synchronization is due to commence is displayed at the bottom of the applet’s window.

About the Author.

Andy Shinton has spent his entire career within the IT industry, mainly in the Time and Frequency sector. Since 2002, he has headed TimeTools Research and Development Division. Andy regularly writes white-papers and articles about NTP and Network Timing Solutions.

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Author: Sergey Tkachenko

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7 thoughts on “Configure Internet Time (NTP) options in Windows 10”

I prefer to use NetTime.

Thanks for these clear instructions. The part about editing the Windows 10 registry to add a server to the built-in list was especially useful to me.

Just want to add that the registry key change worked not only on Windows 10 but also on Windows 7 and even Windows XP. Some old devices only work with XP drivers so yes Windows XP is still in use.

To set the FREQUENCY of how often to check / reset from the NTP server == > Computer\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSet001\Services\W32Time\TimeProviders\NtpClient

Under the SpecialPollInterval KEY, modify it from the default, (1 day = 86,400), to my suggestion of 3600 (Binary) = 1 hour.

You really need to add that option to Tweaker so folks can simply change how often to reset their clocks. The ONE DAY default is just not often enough to rely on, IMO. IF I had used it today for a call or appointment, I would have missed it since mine was 13 minutes late! I suspect gamers benefit more from this tweak, if they slow their PCs with excessive CPU usage over time.

I had to search elsewhere, just to find this setting I’ve used in the past before. Back in the XP days, it was not unusual to have PCs that ran 5-10 minutes off PER DAY. Rather than have every PC get their own time, I set ONE server up (at that time) to reset time every 5 minutes. Then, I set the other PCs up to USE that server as its NTPserver, and check every 5 minutes. It worked well. I noticed today I must have had some app chewing up a ton of CPU on my PC to be 14 minutes behind!! I just set my PC to check NTP server every 3600 seconds / 1 hour, which for me is adequate.

Thank you very much!

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SCS Computing Facilities

How to check ntp settings.

When possible, computers should be configured to use NTP servers advertised by DHCP. When this is not possible, on-campus systems may be manually configured to use the SCS NTP servers listed in the table below. Off-campus systems should use servers from the   NTP Pool Project   and/or the public servers   CLOCK-1.CS.CMU.EDU   and   CLOCK-2.CS.CMU.EDU .Systems receiving SCS Computing Facilities software support will receive the required configuration automatically and should not be adjusted. 

SCS NTP Servers  (on-campus use only):

Please follow the instructions for the appropriate operating system below. You can also  submit a ticket  for assistance. 

NTP in Windows 7

Windows 7 systems benefit from using the full set of NTP servers, but cannot be configured to obtain NTP server information from DHCP. Because the control panel does not allow setting multiple servers, settings on these systems must be verified and changed from a command prompt. Systems which are members of the SCS domain will receive NTP configuration via domain group policy and should not be reconfigured.

To verify the NTP server list:

• Click on the Windows button
• In the "Search programs and files" box, type   cmd   and press Enter.
• If necessary, select   cmd   from the list of search results.
• In the command prompt window, enter   w32tm /query /peers
• Check that an entry is shown for each of the servers listed above.

To manually configure the list of NTP servers:

• In the "Search programs and files" box, type   cmd
• Right-click on   cmd   in the list of search results.
• Select   Run as administrator
• Select   Yes   in the UAC dialog.
• In the command prompt window, enter   w32tm /config /update /manualpeerlist:"NEW-PARSLEY.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU NEW-SAGE.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU NEW-ROSEMARY.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU CORIANDER.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU FENNEL.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU PAPRIKA.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU"
• Enter   w32tm /query /peers

NTP in Windows 10

Windows 8 systems benefit from using the full set of NTP servers, but cannot be configured to obtain NTP server information from DHCP. Because the control panel does not allow setting multiple servers, settings on these systems must be verified and changed from a command prompt. Systems which are members of the SCS domain will receive NTP configuration via domain group policy and should not be reconfigured.

• Hold the windows key and press   X   to bring up the Power User menu.
• Select   Command Prompt
• Select   Command Prompt (Admin)

NTP in macOS

MacOS X systems currently cannot be configured to obtain NTP server information from DHCP. Systems which are enrolled in the SCS Facilities JSS service receive correct NTP configuration via that service and should not be reconfigured. Other systems must be configured manually.   To verify the NTP server list setting:

• Open System Preferences
• Click   Date & Time
• Click on the   Date & Time   tab.
• Verify that   Set Date & Time automatically   is checked.
• In the server name field, enter   NEW-PARSLEY.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU NEW-SAGE.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU NEW-ROSEMARY.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU CORIANDER.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU FENNEL.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU PAPRIKA.SRV.CS.CMU.EDU

NTP in Debian & Ubuntu

Debian, ubuntu.

Debian and Debian-derived systems, including Ubuntu, will use NTP servers from DHCP by default when DHCP is used without NetworkManager. If NTP servers from DHCP are being used, they will be listed in the file   /var/lib/ntp/ntp.conf.dhcp . If that file does not exist, then NTP servers are not being obtained from DHCP.

Unfortunately, Ubuntu systems use use NetworkManager by default, and there is a bug which prevents NTP configuration from being updated in this case. Systems running the Facilities-supported Dragon Ubuntu 12.04 or 14.04 contain a fix for this problem. On systems which are not Facilities-supported, one of two workarounds is required. Either the list of servers may be configured manually, or a simple script may be installed to enable automatic operation.

To manually configure the list of NTP servers , edit the file   /etc/ntp.conf . Remove or comment out any lines beginning with the keywords "server" or "peer", and replace them with the lines shown below. Then run   service ntp restart .

To enable automatic NTP configuration when using NetworkManager , you can apply a workaround similar to that used on Facilities-supported Ubuntu platforms. This is done by installing a NetworkManager dispatcher script which triggers automatic update of NTP configuration whenever a DHCP lease is obtained. Note this method will not work on older versions of Ubuntu, including Ubuntu 10.04, because they lack the required script to correctly update the NTP server configuration. To apply this workaround, install the following shell script as   /etc/NetworkManager/dispatcher.d/05ntp :

After installing the NetworkManager dispatcher script, you will need to perform one of the following actions to update NTP settings.   Warning:   Taking any of these actions will also result in a disruption of network access.

• Disable and then re-enable the network interface, using either   nmcli   or the NetworkManager applet menu. Note that the menu location and appearance will vary depending on the Ubuntu version and desktop environment in use.
• Restart NetworkManager by entering the command   service network-manager restart
• Reboot the system.

NTP in Fedora & RHEL

Fedora and its derivatives, including RHEL, will use NTP servers from DHCP by default when DHCP is used.

For this to work, the setting   PEERNTP=NO   must   not   be present in   /etc/sysconfig/network , or in the interface-specific file   /etc/sysconfig/network-scripts/ifcfg- DEV , where   DEV   is the interface name.

Need Wired Network Access?

• Equipment Registration Form
• More on Windows Time Service on Microsoft Docs
• More about NTP on Ubuntu's Website
• More on NTP at Red Hat's Website
• CMU-Secure Wireless
• CIsco AnyConnect VPN
• Network Policies
• Submit a Ticket
• Call 412-268-4231
• Visit GHC 4203

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How to manage time servers on Windows 10

If your device is showing the wrong time, and it's not a time zone issue, you can try changing the Internet Time settings on Windows 10 to fix the problem.

Windows 10 uses the Network Time Protocol (NTP) to connect with time servers on the internet to provide accurate system time. Otherwise, if the clock is not correctly synchronized, you could experience network issues, and documents and other files you create may end with incorrect time stamps.

Although for the most part, the default time server is reliable, there will be times when you may need to change it, such as if your current configuration causes your device to display the wrong time, you just prefer to use a different service, or your company uses a specific configuration.

Whatever the reason, on Windows 10 it's possible to switch time providers, and you can even add custom time servers to the list as necessary.

In this Windows 10 guide, we walk you through the steps to use different time servers to make sure that your computer is getting the correct time using Control Panel.

How to change the time server on Windows 10

How to add new time servers on windows 10, how to troubleshoot time server synchronization problems.

• Open Control Panel .
• Click on Clock, Language, and Region .
• Click on Date and Time .
• Click on the Internet Time tab.
• Click the Change settings button.
• Check that the Synchronize with an internet time server option is selected.
• Use the drop-down menu to select a different server.
• Click the Update now button to synchronize the time with the new server.
• Click Apply .

After completing the steps, Windows 10 will keep the time synchronized over the internet with the server you selected.

If you prefer to use a different time server that isn't in the list, it's also possible to include any NTP server you want.

• Click the drop-down menu, and next to "Server," and type the new address of the time server.
• Click the Update now button to resynchronize.

After adding the new configuration, you can quickly verify everything is working as expected by checking the Internet Time tab, which now should include a "The clock was successfully synchronized" message with the link to the NTP server and date and time of the synchronization.

Adding new time servers using the Registry

Using Control Panel, you can change the Internet Time settings to anything, but the list only allows you to store one extra entry. If you want to add multiple addresses to the list, you'll need to use the Registry.

Warning: This is a friendly reminder that editing the Registry is risky, and it can cause irreversible damage to your installation if you don't do it correctly. It's recommended to make a full backup of your PC before proceeding.

• Use the  Windows key + R  keyboard shortcut to open the  Run  command.
• Type  regedit , and click  OK  to open the Registry.
• Browse the following path: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\DateTime\Servers
• On the right side, right-click on the Servers (folder) key, select New , and click on String Value .
• Type a number that corresponds to the position of the new entry in the server drop-down menu in Control Panel.
• Double-click the newly created String Value .
• Type the address of Network Time Protocol (NTP) server. For example, if you want to use the Google Public NTP server, you can enter time.google.com .

Once you completed the steps, you can use the instructions to change the time server, but on step No. 6 select the newly added server and don't forget to click the Update now button.

If after changing the settings, your device still has problems connecting to the NTP server, you can reset the Windows Time service configurations using Command Prompt.

• Open the Start menu .
• Search for cmd.exe , right-click the result, and select Run as administrator .
• Type the following command to disable the Windows Time service and press Enter : net stop w32time
• Type the following command to unregister the Windows Time service and to remove all settings information from the registry and press Enter : w32tm /unregister
• Type the following command to register the Windows Time service and to load the default settings to the registry and press Enter : w32tm /register
• Type the following command to start the Windows Time service and press Enter : net start w32time
• Type the following command to force your computer to synchronize your computer without waiting and press Enter : w32tm /resync /nowait
• Restart your computer.

Once you completed the steps, your device should now synchronize with its clock over the internet.

More Windows 10 resources

For more helpful articles, coverage, and answers to common questions about Windows 10, visit the following resources:

• Windows 10 on Windows Central – All you need to know
• Windows 10 help, tips, and tricks
• Windows 10 forums on Windows Central

Get the Windows Central Newsletter

All the latest news, reviews, and guides for Windows and Xbox diehards.

Mauro Huculak is technical writer for WindowsCentral.com. His primary focus is to write comprehensive how-tos to help users get the most out of Windows 10 and its many related technologies. He has an IT background with professional certifications from Microsoft, Cisco, and CompTIA, and he's a recognized member of the Microsoft MVP community.

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Elastic Compute Service:Configure the NTP service for a Windows instance

This topic describes how to enable and configure the Network Time Protocol (NTP) service for a Windows Elastic Compute Service (ECS) instance to ensure that the local time of the instance is precisely synchronized with the NTP server.

Background Information

By default, ECS instances in all Alibaba Cloud regions use UTC+8. You can configure or change the time zones of your instances based on your business requirements.

In this topic, an instance that runs Windows Server 2012 R2 Datacenter Edition 64-bit is used to demonstrate how to use the NTP service to synchronize the local time of Windows instances. You can also run commands to enable and configure the NTP service for Windows instances. For more information, see How to enable NTP for ECS instances with Windows operating system .

Enable the NTP service

By default, the Windows Time service is enabled on Windows Server operating systems. The Windows Time service follows the NTP specification to provides network clock synchronization for computers. The Windows Time service must be enabled for Windows instances to synchronize their local time as expected. Perform the following steps to check and enable the Windows Time service:

Connect to a Windows instance.

For more information, see Connect to a Windows instance by using a password or key .

In the Run dialog box, enter services.msc and click OK .

In the Services dialog box, find and double-click Windows Time .

In the Windows Time Properties (Local Computer) dialog box, perform the following operations:

Set Startup type to Automatic .

Make sure that the value of Service status is Running . If the value of Service status is not Running, click Start .

Change the default NTP server address

By default, Windows Server operating systems synchronize with the Microsoft NTP server (time.windows.com), but errors may occur. When you use a Windows ECS instance, you can replace the default Microsoft NTP server with an internal NTP server provided by Alibaba Cloud. Perform the following steps to change the default NTP server address:

In the notification area of the taskbar, click the date and time, and then click Change date and time settings .

In the Date and Time dialog box, click the Internet Time tab and then click Change settings .

In the Internet Time Settings dialog box, select Synchronize with an Internet time server , enter the address of an Alibaba Cloud internal NTP server, and then click Update Now . Then, click OK .

For the addresses of Alibaba Cloud internal NTP servers, see Alibaba Cloud NTP servers .

Modify the NTP synchronization interval

The default NTP synchronization interval is 5 minutes. You can modify the interval. Perform the following steps to modify the NTP synchronization interval:

In the Run dialog box, enter regedit and click OK .

In the left-side navigation pane of the Registry Editor window, choose HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE > SYSTEM > CurrentControlSet > Services > W32Time > TimeProviders > NtpClient and double-click SpecialPollInterval in the right-side pane.

In the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value dialog box, set Base to Decimal and enter a value in the Value data field. The entered value is the new synchronization interval. Unit: seconds.

Restart the instance for the changes to take effect.

You can restart the instance for the changes to take effect. If you cannot restart the instance due to business requirements, you can restart the Windows Time service for the changes to take effect. Perform the following steps:

In the Windows Time Properties (Local Computer) dialog box, click Stop to stop the Windows Time service.

If the Windows Time service is stopped, the instance cannot synchronize its local time with a time source and your business that runs on the instance may be interrupted. We recommend that you perform the operation during off-peak hours.

Wait until the service enters the Stopped state, and then click Start .

Alibaba Cloud NTP servers

Configure the NTP service for ECS instances that run CentOS 6

Configure chrony for Linux instances

Configure chrony for Linux instances (Alibaba Cloud Linux 2)