Re: [gpsd-dev] Clarifications needed for the time-service HOWTO

[Gary E. Miller]

Yo Hal!

On Mon, 21 Oct 2013 00:03:56 -0700
Hal Murray <address@hidden> wrote:

> 
> address@hidden said:
> > # ntptrace ntp.ubuntu.com
> > 91.189.89.199: timed out, nothing received
> > ***Request timed out
> 
> > They seem to be down.
> 
> No, the servers are OK.  The problem is a buggy tool and/or a poor
> choice of tool.  Try sntp -d xxx or ntpdate -d xxx  (ntpdate is
> depricated)

So I should try a deprecated tool over a maintained one from the ntpd
package?

Slightly luck with sntp:

# sntp -d ntp.ubuntu.com
21 Oct 10:13:40 sntp[28873]: Started sntp
Starting to read KoD file /var/db/ntp-kod...
sntp sendpkt: Sending packet to 91.189.89.199... Packet sent.
sntp recvpkt: packet received from 91.189.89.199 is not authentic. 
Authentication not enforced.
sntp handle_pkt: Received 48 bytes from 91.189.89.199
sntp offset_calculation:        t21: 0.091052            t34: -0.074392
                delta: 0.165444  offset: 0.008330
2013-10-21 10:13:41.076594 (+0800) +0.008330 +/- 0.025024 secs
sntp sendpkt: Sending packet to 91.189.94.4... Packet sent.
sntp recvpkt: packet received from 91.189.94.4 is not authentic. Authentication 
not enforced.
sntp handle_pkt: Received 48 bytes from 91.189.94.4
sntp offset_calculation:        t21: 0.073096            t34: -0.084409
                delta: 0.157505  offset: -0.005657
2013-10-21 10:13:41.234249 (+0800) -0.005657 +/- 0.044342 secs
# 

I find ntptrace works almost all the time, I'll stick to that, when I can.
 
> ntptrace calls ntpq which uses mode 6 packets.  That's the back door
> for debugging/monitoring.  It's disabled (from the outside world) on
> many/most ntpd servers that are exposed to the big/bad internet.  But
> when it works, it gives text printout which is easier to parse from
> simple scripts.

Ah, never seen that problem before, and I use ntptrace a lot.  I'll
watch for it.

RGDS
GARY
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gary E. Miller Rellim 109 NW Wilmington Ave., Suite E, Bend, OR 97701
        address@hidden  Tel:+1(541)382-8588

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