We have installed it with no access to an external time server and have temporarily given it internet access to enable it to sync to a time server but then disconnected it afterwards. There seems to be no way to have it not try to sync to a time source up to 999 days as there is no other option for not trying to sync. Am I missing something here?
Subscriber Discussion
Hey, Does Anyone Know A Little About The Net Time App And Setting It Up?
Ethan Ace
Aug 03, 2016I use NetTime on pretty much every machine. But to be clear: you're looking to set time once and then use that machine to serve time with no update? So it may drift, but at least other machines will be synced to it?
I'll have take a look at that.
MG
Mike Griffin
Aug 03, 2016Thanks Ethan,
yes, I'm not concerned so much about the atomically correct time so much as long as the devices are all in sync. It's a great program but I have not been able to figure out how to have it not update it's time on a regular basis. Furthermore, it seems to me that if the machine designated as the time server reboots, it will want to generate errors because it cannot sync after the reboot.
Ethan Ace
Aug 03, 2016The issue is that if it doesn't sync it eventually stops serving time, correct? Off the top of my head.
MG
Mike Griffin
Aug 03, 2016Yes, I'll have to look at it again as it's been awhile but I believe the clients trying to sync report an error as well as the server reports an error trying to sync...
Brian Karas
Aug 03, 2016You're trying to setup NTP?
There are two general approaches I've seen for non-Internet connected systems:
1) You're not primarily concerned with an "atomically correct" time, you just want all the cameras to be in sync so that when you do a search/playback things line up. For this scenario setup an internal PC as the NTP server and have everything sync against that. Your clocks won't be accurate, but they'll at least be consistently wrong :) Sync the time on that PC regularly, depending on overall drift.
2) You want accurate time on all your devices, even though there is no Internet connection. For this you want a GPS or satellite time-clock. There are several options, within the security market the Veracity GPS clock may be available through your standard channels.
MG
Mike Griffin
Aug 03, 2016Thanks Brian,
Yes, scenario #1, however nettime wants to update regularly and there is no internet connection so the only option is to extend the update interval to 999 days (as far as I can see). Minor issue but annoying nonetheless.
Ethan Ace
Aug 03, 2016Hey Mike, just taking a look at this now, sorry for the delay.
There's an option that says "ALWAYS provide time" in settings (below). Turning this on should ignore the free run setting and always serve time. If you don't enable it, NetTime will stop serving time once the free run period is over. It's still going to show an X over the icon in the system tray when it fails to update, but it should still serve. (Full disclosure: I haven't tested this, but that's how their documentation words things)
MG
Mike Griffin
Aug 04, 2016Thanks Ethan, I will certainly give that a try...
Matthew Netardus
Aug 27, 2016Would that tool bypass the issues associated with time drift and licenses? I have had a few systems where their time got off by just enough to cause the license to invalidate; would this be a way around that? (in the past I had to get the device temporarily onto the internet to re-sync and then it was resolved, but still another truck roll)
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