xref: /freebsd/contrib/ntp/sntp/sntp.1sntpmdoc (revision 5ffd83dbcc34f10e07f6d3e968ae6365869615f4)
1.Dd June 23 2020
2.Dt SNTP 1sntpmdoc User Commands
3.Os
4.\"  EDIT THIS FILE WITH CAUTION  (sntp-opts.mdoc)
5.\"
6.\"  It has been AutoGen-ed  June 23, 2020 at 02:19:35 AM by AutoGen 5.18.5
7.\"  From the definitions    sntp-opts.def
8.\"  and the template file   agmdoc-cmd.tpl
9.Sh NAME
10.Nm sntp
11.Nd standard Simple Network Time Protocol client program
12.Sh SYNOPSIS
13.Nm
14.\" Mixture of short (flag) options and long options
15.Op Fl flags
16.Op Fl flag Op Ar value
17.Op Fl \-option\-name Ns Oo Oo Ns "=| " Oc Ns Ar value Oc
18[ hostname\-or\-IP ...]
19.Pp
20.Sh DESCRIPTION
21.Nm
22can be used as an SNTP client to query a NTP or SNTP server and either display
23the time or set the local system's time (given suitable privilege).  It can be
24run as an interactive command or from a
25.Ic cron
26job.
27NTP (the Network Time Protocol) and SNTP (the Simple Network Time Protocol)
28are defined and described by RFC 5905.
29.Pp
30The default is to write the estimated correct local date and time (i.e. not
31UTC) to the standard output in a format like:
32.Ic "'1996\-10\-15 20:17:25.123 (+0800) +4.567 +/\- 0.089 [host] IP sN'"
33where the
34.Ic "'(+0800)'"
35means that to get to UTC from the reported local time one must
36add 8 hours and 0 minutes,
37the
38.Ic "'+4.567'"
39indicates the local clock is 4.567 seconds behind the correct time
40(so 4.567 seconds must be added to the local clock to get it to be correct).
41Note that the number of decimals printed for this value will change
42based on the reported precision of the server.
43.Ic "'+/\- 0.089'"
44is the reported
45.Em synchronization distance
46(in seconds), which represents the maximum error due to all causes.
47If the server does not report valid data needed to calculate the
48synchronization distance, this will be reported as
49.Ic "'+/\- ?'" .
50If the
51.Em host
52is different from the
53.Em IP ,
54both will be displayed.
55Otherwise, only the
56.Em IP
57is displayed.
58Finally, the
59.Em stratum
60of the host is reported
61and the leap indicator is decoded and displayed.
62.Sh "OPTIONS"
63.Bl -tag
64.It  Fl 4 , Fl \-ipv4
65Force IPv4 DNS name resolution.
66This option must not appear in combination with any of the following options:
67ipv6.
68.sp
69Force DNS resolution of the following host names on the command line
70to the IPv4 namespace.
71.It  Fl 6 , Fl \-ipv6
72Force IPv6 DNS name resolution.
73This option must not appear in combination with any of the following options:
74ipv4.
75.sp
76Force DNS resolution of the following host names on the command line
77to the IPv6 namespace.
78.It  Fl a Ar auth\-keynumber , Fl \-authentication Ns = Ns Ar auth\-keynumber
79Enable authentication with the key \fBauth\-keynumber\fP.
80This option takes an integer number as its argument.
81.sp
82Enable authentication using the key specified in this option's
83argument.  The argument of this option is the \fBkeyid\fP, a
84number specified in the \fBkeyfile\fP as this key's identifier.
85See the \fBkeyfile\fP option (\fB\-k\fP) for more details.
86.It  Fl b Ar broadcast\-address , Fl \-broadcast Ns = Ns Ar broadcast\-address
87Listen to the address specified for broadcast time sync.
88This option may appear an unlimited number of times.
89.sp
90If specified \fBsntp\fP will listen to the specified address
91for NTP broadcasts.  The default maximum wait time
92can (and probably should) be modified with \fB\-t\fP.
93.It  Fl c Ar host\-name , Fl \-concurrent Ns = Ns Ar host\-name
94Concurrently query all IPs returned for host\-name.
95This option may appear an unlimited number of times.
96.sp
97Requests from an NTP "client" to a "server" should never be sent
98more rapidly than one every 2 seconds.  By default, any IPs returned
99as part of a DNS lookup are assumed to be for a single instance of
100\fBntpd\fP, and therefore \fBsntp\fP will send queries to these IPs
101one after another, with a 2\-second gap in between each query.
102.sp
103The \fB\-c\fP or \fB\-\-concurrent\fP flag says that any IPs
104returned for the DNS lookup of the supplied host\-name are on
105different machines, so we can send concurrent queries.
106.It  Fl d , Fl \-debug\-level
107Increase debug verbosity level.
108This option may appear an unlimited number of times.
109.sp
110.It  Fl D Ar number , Fl \-set\-debug\-level Ns = Ns Ar number
111Set the debug verbosity level.
112This option may appear an unlimited number of times.
113This option takes an integer number as its argument.
114.sp
115.It  Fl g Ar milliseconds , Fl \-gap Ns = Ns Ar milliseconds
116The gap (in milliseconds) between time requests.
117This option takes an integer number as its argument.
118The default
119.Ar milliseconds
120for this option is:
121.ti +4
122 50
123.sp
124Since we're only going to use the first valid response we get and
125there is benefit to specifying a good number of servers to query,
126separate the queries we send out by the specified number of
127milliseconds.
128.It  Fl K Ar file\-name , Fl \-kod Ns = Ns Ar file\-name
129KoD history filename.
130The default
131.Ar file\-name
132for this option is:
133.ti +4
134 /var/db/ntp\-kod
135.sp
136Specifies the filename to be used for the persistent history of KoD
137responses received from servers.  If the file does not exist, a
138warning message will be displayed.  The file will not be created.
139.It  Fl k Ar file\-name , Fl \-keyfile Ns = Ns Ar file\-name
140Look in this file for the key specified with \fB\-a\fP.
141The default
142.Ar file\-name
143for this option is:
144.ti +4
145 /etc/ntp.keys
146.sp
147This option specifies the keyfile.
148\fBsntp\fP will search for the key specified with \fB\-a\fP
149\fIkeyno\fP in this file.  See \fBntp.keys(5)\fP for more
150information.
151.It  Fl l Ar file\-name , Fl \-logfile Ns = Ns Ar file\-name
152Log to specified logfile.
153.sp
154This option causes the client to write log messages to the specified
155\fIlogfile\fP.
156.It  Fl M Ar number , Fl \-steplimit Ns = Ns Ar number
157Adjustments less than \fBsteplimit\fP msec will be slewed.
158This option takes an integer number as its argument.
159The value of
160.Ar number
161is constrained to being:
162.in +4
163.nf
164.na
165greater than or equal to 0
166.fi
167.in -4
168.sp
169If the time adjustment is less than \fIsteplimit\fP milliseconds,
170slew the amount using \fBadjtime(2)\fP.  Otherwise, step the
171correction using \fBsettimeofday(2)\fP.  The default value is 0,
172which means all adjustments will be stepped.  This is a feature, as
173different situations demand different values.
174.It  Fl o Ar number , Fl \-ntpversion Ns = Ns Ar number
175Send \fBint\fP as our NTP protocol version.
176This option takes an integer number as its argument.
177The value of
178.Ar number
179is constrained to being:
180.in +4
181.nf
182.na
183in the range  0 through 7
184.fi
185.in -4
186The default
187.Ar number
188for this option is:
189.ti +4
190 4
191.sp
192When sending requests to a remote server, tell them we are running
193NTP protocol version \fIntpversion\fP .
194.It  Fl r , Fl \-usereservedport
195Use the NTP Reserved Port (port 123).
196.sp
197Use port 123, which is reserved for NTP, for our network
198communications.
199.It  Fl S , Fl \-step
200OK to 'step' the time with \fBsettimeofday(2)\fP.
201.sp
202.It  Fl s , Fl \-slew
203OK to 'slew' the time with \fBadjtime(2)\fP.
204.sp
205.It  Fl t Ar seconds , Fl \-timeout Ns = Ns Ar seconds
206The number of seconds to wait for responses.
207This option takes an integer number as its argument.
208The default
209.Ar seconds
210for this option is:
211.ti +4
212 5
213.sp
214When waiting for a reply, \fBsntp\fP will wait the number
215of seconds specified before giving up.  The default should be
216more than enough for a unicast response.  If \fBsntp\fP is
217only waiting for a broadcast response a longer timeout is
218likely needed.
219.It  Fl \-wait , Fl \-no\-wait
220Wait for pending replies (if not setting the time).
221The \fIno\-wait\fP form will disable the option.
222This option is enabled by default.
223.sp
224If we are not setting the time, wait for all pending responses.
225.It Fl \&? , Fl \-help
226Display usage information and exit.
227.It Fl \&! , Fl \-more\-help
228Pass the extended usage information through a pager.
229.It Fl > Oo Ar cfgfile Oc , Fl \-save\-opts Oo Ns = Ns Ar cfgfile Oc
230Save the option state to \fIcfgfile\fP.  The default is the \fIlast\fP
231configuration file listed in the \fBOPTION PRESETS\fP section, below.
232The command will exit after updating the config file.
233.It Fl < Ar cfgfile , Fl \-load\-opts Ns = Ns Ar cfgfile , Fl \-no\-load\-opts
234Load options from \fIcfgfile\fP.
235The \fIno\-load\-opts\fP form will disable the loading
236of earlier config/rc/ini files.  \fI\-\-no\-load\-opts\fP is handled early,
237out of order.
238.It Fl \-version Op Brq Ar v|c|n
239Output version of program and exit.  The default mode is `v', a simple
240version.  The `c' mode will print copyright information and `n' will
241print the full copyright notice.
242.El
243.Sh "OPTION PRESETS"
244Any option that is not marked as \fInot presettable\fP may be preset
245by loading values from configuration ("RC" or ".INI") file(s) and values from
246environment variables named:
247.nf
248  \fBSNTP_<option\-name>\fP or \fBSNTP\fP
249.fi
250.ad
251The environmental presets take precedence (are processed later than)
252the configuration files.
253The \fIhomerc\fP files are "\fI$HOME\fP", and "\fI.\fP".
254If any of these are directories, then the file \fI.ntprc\fP
255is searched for within those directories.
256.Sh USAGE
257.Bl -tag -width indent
258.It Li "sntp ntpserver.somewhere"
259is the simplest use of this program
260and can be run as an unprivileged command
261to check the current time and error in the local clock.
262.It Li "sntp \-Ss \-M 128 ntpserver.somewhere"
263With suitable privilege,
264run as a command
265or from a
266.Xr cron 8
267job,
268.Ic "sntp \-Ss \-M 128 ntpserver.somewhere"
269will request the time from the server,
270and if that server reports that it is synchronized
271then if the offset adjustment is less than 128 milliseconds
272the correction will be slewed,
273and if the correction is more than 128 milliseconds
274the correction  will be stepped.
275.It Li "sntp \-S ntpserver.somewhere"
276With suitable privilege,
277run as a command
278or from a
279.Xr cron 8
280job,
281.Ic "sntp \-S ntpserver.somewhere"
282will set (step) the local clock from a synchronized specified server,
283like the (deprecated)
284.Xr ntpdate 1ntpdatemdoc ,
285or
286.Xr rdate 8
287commands.
288.El
289.Sh "ENVIRONMENT"
290See \fBOPTION PRESETS\fP for configuration environment variables.
291.Sh "FILES"
292See \fBOPTION PRESETS\fP for configuration files.
293.Sh "EXIT STATUS"
294One of the following exit values will be returned:
295.Bl -tag
296.It 0 " (EXIT_SUCCESS)"
297Successful program execution.
298.It 1 " (EXIT_FAILURE)"
299The operation failed or the command syntax was not valid.
300.It 66 " (EX_NOINPUT)"
301A specified configuration file could not be loaded.
302.It 70 " (EX_SOFTWARE)"
303libopts had an internal operational error.  Please report
304it to autogen\-users@lists.sourceforge.net.  Thank you.
305.El
306.Sh AUTHORS
307.An "Johannes Maximilian Kuehn"
308.An "Harlan Stenn"
309.An "Dave Hart"
310.Sh "COPYRIGHT"
311Copyright (C) 1992\-2020 The University of Delaware and Network Time Foundation all rights reserved.
312This program is released under the terms of the NTP license, <http://ntp.org/license>.
313.Sh "BUGS"
314Please send bug reports to: http://bugs.ntp.org, bugs@ntp.org
315.Sh "NOTES"
316This manual page was \fIAutoGen\fP\-erated from the \fBsntp\fP
317option definitions.
318