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It looks like there are two options for providing network time settings to a DHCP client; option 004 and option 042. The description for 004 is "Time Server", while 042 specifies NTP. Is there a reason to use one or the other, or is it just vendor preference? If the client uses option 042, is the time offset in option 002 still used?

TimM
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3 Answers3

26

From a Google search, first result:

Option 004 specifies servers that provide TIME/ITP (as per RFC 868). This is not a recommended protocol/service in a Windows environment.

Option 042 specifies servers that provide NTP/SNTP (RFC 1769). This is the preferred time service in a Windows environment (assuming the absence of Active Directory which maintains the time on your behalf).

Niko
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10

The RFC 868 "time" service as specified by Option 4 is pretty much obsolete and only has 1s resolution.

Modern networks should always use NTP (Option 42).

Alnitak
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7
  • Option 042 refers to NTP (RFC 1769)
  • Option 004 refers to TIME/ITP (RFC 868)

Source

Zoredache
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