NTP

[BaronSamedi]

I have a windows 2003 server which keeps losing time. I have attempted to configure w32time to access external time servers but it appears unable to contact them. I have made sure the relevant port (23) is open on the router's firewall but it doesn't appear to make any difference. I've installed several thirdparty NTP clients to see if they'll make contact with an external time server but they can't either. I can ping the external time servers, so I know they are active. I just cannot, it seems contact the relevant port on them.

Does anybody perhaps have some clues on where I'm going wrong?

 

[luisrato]

First of all, the NTP port it is not 23. You must open the port 123 for UDP protocol in your router.

Then you must set the external NTP server in your Domain Controller that have the role of the "PDC Emulator". Every servers and client computers will sinchronize the time with the domain controller that have the PDC emulator role, so it is very important that you do that in the correct Domain controller.

To register the external NTP server in your domain controller with PDC Emulator just do the following at the command line:
NET TIME \\[NETBIOS NAME OF YOUR DOMAIN CONTROLLER] /SETSNTP:[Fully qualified domain name of the external NTP server]

Best regards,
Luís Rato
MCP;MCSA;MCSA Messaging;MCSE;CIWA;CIWP;CIWSA;MCIWA

 

[BaronSamedi]

I apologise, you're right I mistyped the port number.

My server is the PDC (Primary Domain Controller?).

I assume that when you mean "fully qualified domain name" an IP number will work just as well? Being normally a UNIX sysadmin I prefer to work with numbers not names.

BTW, the actual command syntax is:

NET TIME
[\\computername | /DOMAIN[:domainname] | /RTSDOMAIN[:domainname]] [/SET]
[\\computername] /QUERYSNTP
[\\computername] /SETSNTP[:ntp server list]

I am now just waiting to see if its worked. Is there any way to force a time synchronisation query?

 

[luisrato]

You may use the DNS name or IP Address.

Note: Remember that only the Domain Controller with the PDC Emulator FSMO role can synchronize with an external time source.


Check this article, it will clear some of your doubts:

216734 - How to Configure an Authoritative Time Server in Windows 2000


Best regards,
Luís Rato
MCP;MCSA;MCSA Messaging;MCSE;CIWA;CIWP;CIWSA;MCIWA