# synchronizing clients time to Domain Controller



## Carldica (Jan 29, 2007)

hi guys,

any body knows, how to set a Group Policy that force every clients in my network to synchronize their windows time to my DC time?

i have a windows server 2003 enterprise edition and 3 standard editions, they always replicate each other.

all of my clients use windows XP SP2 for their OS.

thx in advance guys.


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

I'm not sure about setting a group policy as it's been a long time since I've done any Windows administration. But one thing I'm sure of, you need to make sure your DC is running an NTP server and have the settings so that it's a higher stratum time server.


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## Carldica (Jan 29, 2007)

are you saying that by setting the NTP the clients will automatically synchronize with my DC?


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## zx10guy (Mar 30, 2008)

There's two things you need to do. First is to have an NTP server. This can be any of the master clocks accessible on the internet which are run off an atomic clock or just a server you stand up which just serves up its own clock as an authoritative server. By default, no Windows servers will act as an NTP server. An NTP server will talk over UDP port 123. You also have to configure the NTP server as a higher stratum server so the clients recognize the Windows NTP server as a higher authority.

You then need to point your Windows clients to the server. You can then test the connection by forcing a manual sync from your client to see if everything works.


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## Courtneyc (Dec 7, 2003)

First, on ONE DC, configure it to be an NTP server: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/816042

Next, use DHCP to point to the server as an NTP server (one of the options).

Next, block ports 37 and 123 to the Internet from all users except this NTP server.

Finally, reboot your desktops.

Courtney sends


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## Carldica (Jan 29, 2007)

THANKS A LOT GUYS, i'll try to read the NTP server. will give u any result ASAP


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## Carldica (Jan 29, 2007)

i just bang my head to the wall 3 times, i just remembered net time command and put it at GP in AD. thx a lot guys, but i'll try to build the NTP server, just to add to my knowledge. THX guys.


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