Setting the clock? (SOLVED..TBC)

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

What is the best way to set the clock? I have taken the steps to make activate kernel modules for network time sync, but I must be missing the client software.
Would I need to next install the ntp package? And then configure it to synchronize with some server?

eccerr0r · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 6:20 am Post subject:

I believe the network time sync in the kernel was for bootp, pxe, or something similar, where network is available at kernel boot. Standard kernel boot is usually slightly different.

If you're using systemd you should set up the builtin systemd-timesyncd (simple ntp client) to get ntp unless you need to distribute time to other machines on your network - in which you probably should run the full ntp.

If you're not using systemd you can use net-misc/ntpclient or the full net-misc/ntp, openntpd, or ntpsec. Pick one.
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charles17 · Advocate Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 3664

LIsLinuxIsSogood · Veteran Joined: 13 Feb 2016 Posts: 1179

charles17, I've already looked at it and can make no sense of it at all. I guess I should have mentioned that too already, but it seems at times like these a wiki page like the one on System time (thanks for the link) would present too many options and not enough discussion regarding each one. I am however relieved to hear that I can just go about installing a ntp-client, since I do run openrc. Unfortunately the OpenRC section and In-kernel method sections of the System Time link appear incomplete at least to me.

EDIT:
I am unfortunately unable to find the package net-misc/ntpclient in gentoo repository ???

EDIT:
I did go through with net-misc/ntp installation and the service daemon seems to work fine, I wonder if it might make sense to leave turn on and off this service manually OR just run the program "ntpdate pool.ntp.org" in the future when I notice the clock being off by more than a few seconds. The wiki suggests some potential malicious paths that are opened up by running a ntp service. I will play with it and see what I can figure out.

Thanks for the help, marking it as solved...or to be continued.

charles17 · Advocate Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 3664

charles17 · Advocate Joined: 02 Mar 2008 Posts: 3664

pietinger · Posted: Fri Aug 28, 2020 9:51 am Post subject:

CaptainBlood · Advocate Joined: 24 Jan 2010 Posts: 3625

May be worth reading: Compare...
Thks 4 ur attention, interest & support.

eccerr0r · Posted: Sat Aug 29, 2020 12:17 am Post subject:

If you really don't want to install anything, seems that busybox also has an ntpd variant.
_________________
Intel Core i7 2700K/Radeon R7 250/24GB DDR3/256GB SSD
What am I supposed watching?