# How often is ntp supposed to check the time

## iandoug

hi

I'm noticing (via Ether-ape) a lot of traffic from this box on the NTP protocol.

To places like s01.be.it2go.eu and ntp.phyxia.net and ns2.ttosi.net

Is NTP supposed to be continually checking the time? I thought it did it like once an hour/day or so?

I've never noticed this before and I often use ether-ape to watch my LAN.

thanks, Ian

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## taho

Hi

It depends from NTP servers stratum and of course from your time precision. For some virtual high loaded hosts time drift may be very high.

you can turn off ntpd daemon and insert to crontab something like:

ntpdate -s -b -u PREFFERED_NTP_SERVER

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