NTP-Server

IPFire's system time can be synchronized with an Internet time server. For providing a precise time source to the local network, IPFire can also host a NTP server itself, but this is not activated by default. You can activate this via the web interface.

These options provide the time to local network and also force a synchronization on boot time.

You can also specify when IPFire should synchronize its time with the given internet time server.

Available Synchronization options are:

• Hours, Days, Weeks, and Months or Manually.

This was chosen so that the time is synchronized once a day.

For those who prefer to set their time manually, the following command on the Console can be used on the IPFire:

ntpdate 0.ipfire.pool.ntp.org

If an error message appears here, switching the time server off and on with:

/etc/init.d/ntp stop
/etc/init.d/ntp start

might be helpful.

If this is unsuccessful, the time can also be set manually with:

date --set "05/13/2010 09:45:00"

(The above format should be mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss)

If the time should then be passed to the BIOS, enter:

hwclock --systohc

into the Console.

Using IPFire as a time source for Windows

First, enable this setting:

Now configure Windows with the time server's (IPFire's) address.

When configured, Windows will look like this:

Using IPFire as a time source for Mac OS

On the IPFire WUI enable Provide time to local network (Services -> Time Server) as pictured above.

On the Mac go to Date & Time (System Preferences -> Date & Time -> Date & Time tab).

Click Set date and time automatically and then enter the IPFire address.