Sync clocks in a network

[Ann0223]

I have several computers all running Windows xp that are all networked
together. I want to have all of there clocks sync to the main computer (not
a server) instead of to an internet address, which is what they try to do
now. I also want to have them do this every day instead of once a week like
they try to do now.

 

[John McGaw]

I have several computers all running Windows xp that are all networked
together. I want to have all of there clocks sync to the main computer (not
a server) instead of to an internet address, which is what they try to do
now. I also want to have them do this every day instead of once a week like
they try to do now.

There are quite a few time server programs you can download for free. A
quick google search will find them for you. One example is
http://www.adjusttime.com/atcs.php . Personally I find it easier on my
network to use Neutron http://keir.net/neutron.html on each machine and
have it activated as many times a day as I feel is necessary to keep
everything synchronized. OK, so maybe my machines might be a second off
every now and then but that is close enough for me.

BTW, even if you do set up your own time server on the local network, you
will still have to make sure that it is getting accurate time information
from some known-good source and then make sure that all of the machines on
the network are accessing the local server often enough to keep themselves
on time.

 

[3c273]

I use the NTP time server here:
http://www.meinberg.de/english/sw/ntp.htm#ntp_cheat_sheet
with the NTP time client service here:
http://home.att.net/~Tom.Horsley/ntptime.html
Louis

 

[V Green]

Search Help for the NET TIME command.

Write a batch file for it.

Use Scheduler to run it every day.

 

[HeyBub]

I have several computers all running Windows xp that are all networked
together. I want to have all of there clocks sync to the main
computer (not a server) instead of to an internet address, which is
what they try to do now. I also want to have them do this every day
instead of once a week like they try to do now.

Create a batch file containing:

NET TIME \\servername /SET /Y

And schedule it whenever you want.

The "/Y" is the answer to the question "Do you want to set the local
computer's time to match the time at \\servername? (Y/N)"

 

[John John (MVP)]

As others have already explained you can use the NET TIME command to do
this. You can make a small batch file for this and throw it or a
shortcut to in in the All Users Startup folder or in a startup script
and every time the workstations are started/logged on to the batch file
will run and the machines will synchronize with the machine designated
as the Time Server. On the machines running this command set the Windows
Time Service to manual, you don't want the Time Service running.

John