Six GPS-based, fast, high-accuracy [10-nanosecond] Stratum-1 NTP Internet time servers that you can use for any timing needs, such as keeping your computer's clock synchronized to UTC, are available for public use. All six are equally accurate and are accessible via either of the two addresses given in the table below.
| Server Information | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Domain Name IP Address |
Time Source | Oscillator | NTP | Line | Notes |
|
t1.timegps.net 64.183.55.54 |
GPS | Rubidium | V2 V3 V4 | Cable |
A C |
|
t2.timegps.net 64.183.56.58 |
GPS | Rubidium | V2 V3 V4 | Cable |
A C |
How the servers work: There are six servers in operation, but only two incoming lines are used. Each incoming request for time from either line is sent to a load-balancing device that selects the next server cyclicly from the set of six. In this scheme, successive time requests coming in over a given input line will almost certainly not all use the same physical server. The benefit is that if any servers go down, the remaining ones are still automatically accessible, and users should not be affected. |
|
Which server line should you use? Pick either one at random. For example, use your birthday month: For January through June: t1; July through December: t2. If all clients use this method, then the load will be spread evenly across the two lines. Should you use a server's Domain Name or its IP Address? Either one; the IP addresses are now static and should not change. [For backward compatibility, the names t3 and t4 are still valid. Any requests to those names will be automatically re-directed to t1 and t2.] |
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| Current Status: Servers Operational | |||||
For your computer, decide on a particular server line and then:
For the PC (Windows XP):
1. Open the menu item 'Start > Control Panel > Date and Time'.
2. Click the 'Internet Time' tab.
3. Check the box next to "Automatically synchronize with an Internet time server"
4. Enter the Domain Name or IP Address from the table above as the server name.
5. Click 'Apply'.
6. Click 'Update Now'.
7. When you get the "Successfully" message, click OK.
For the Macintosh (OS X):
1. Open 'System Preferences. . .' in the Apple menu.
2. In the 'System' bar, click 'Date & Time'.
3. In the window that opens, click the 'Date & Time' tab.
4. Check the box next to "Set date & time automatically"
5. Enter the Domain Name or IP Address from the table above as the server name.
6. Press the Return key.
7. Close the window.
IMPORTANT:
Be sure that the IP address of your client host computer is valid. The Internet has seven ranges of IP addresses that are not recognized by Internet routers or are not available for assignment:
| Invalid IP Addresses | ||
|---|---|---|
| Address Range Start | Address Range End | Address Type |
| 0.0.0.0 | 0.255.255.255 | No Network Number |
| 10.0.0.0 | 10.255.255.255 | Local - Class A |
| 127.0.0.0 | 127.255.255.255 | Reserved for Testing |
| 169.254.0.0 | 169.254.255.255 | Local - DHCP Default |
| 172.16.0.0 | 172.31.255.255 | Local - Class B |
| 192.168.0.0 | 192.168.255.255 | Local - Class C |
| 240.0.0.0 | 255.255.255.255 | Internet IP Development |
Do not use an address in any of the above ranges to identify your computer to the outside world. A received IP address belonging to one of these ranges will be discarded by the servers. [If you connect to the Internet through a gateway in an organization's network, that is usually OK; in most cases local addresses will be temporarily converted to a valid number before being transmitted.]
For questions or comments, e-mail x@sn.to
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