IPFires system time can be synchronized with an internet time server. For providing a precise time source in the local network, IPFire can also host a NTP-server itself, which is deactivated by default. You can activate the server via the web-interface.


This was choosen to provide the time the local network and also to force a syncronisation on boot time.

You can further specify when IPFire should synchronize its time with the given internet time server.

Available options are:

  • Hour, day, week and month.


This was chosen so that the time is synchronized once a day.

Those who prefer to set their time manually, the following command on the Console can be used on the IPFire:

ntpdate de.pool.ntp.org

If an error message will appear here, then even the switching off and on of the time server with a

/etc/init.d/ntp stop
/etc/init.d/ntp start

might be helpful.

Should this also not lead to success, the time can also be setting up manually, with a

date --set "05/13/2010 09:45:00"
(Therefor the following format should be used mm/dd/yyyy hh:mm:ss)

If the time should then be passed to the BIOS, type a

hwclock --systohc

into the Console.

Allocate Windows IPFires time

First you have enabled this setting:

Now you have only to give Windows the time server (IPFires) address.

Very important is, that this is not possible using the IP! You need to use IPFires hostname

What may looks like this:


FIXME to english screenshoot

Of course, you need to register your own hostname ;-) .