Change Vista Internet Time Server

February 13, 2007 · Filed Under Configuring Vista System Settings 

By default Windows Vista is setup to synchornize with an Internet Time Server. This allows the computer to update its time automatically. This does require access to the internet using UDP port 123 and can be blocked if your firewall is not configured properly.

If you want to change your time server for any reason including to point at a local Time Server, this article will walk you through where to change the settings.
Note: If you are part of a Active Directory domain this will be controlled by Group Policies that will over ride local settings. Though most home users/small networks will not be part of a domain.

  1. First go to your Control Panel:

  2. Next go to Clock, Language, & Region:

  3. Then click Date & Time:

  4. Choose the Internet Time tab. Here you will see several pieces of information including:
    Time server currently set to
    Next synchronization time
    The last result of the synchronization including errors

  5. Clicking on the Change settings… might popup a UAC warning depending on your configuration if it does click Continue:

    If the UAC doesn’t pop then you should see the Internet Time Settings configuration window:

  6. In this window you can do two things. Configure if you want to use Internet Time or not by checking/unchecking Synchronize with an Internet Time server and set which time server you want to use for synchronization. These can be either the preconfigured servers in the drop down menu or you can type one of your choosing.
  7. Once you change yours settings you can test them by clicking Update Now You will get a status message right in that window.
  8. Once your done click Ok

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    Comments

    8 Responses to “Change Vista Internet Time Server”

    1. Dimitris on February 25th, 2007 6:45 am

      All time servers provided give an error message. Vista Home Premium.

    2. Dave on February 27th, 2007 8:41 pm

      Dimitris-

      I just went through all the different time servers and the worked fine for me. Make sure that your router/firewall isnt blocking UDP 123

    3. Andy on March 5th, 2007 10:30 am

      I have UDP Port 123 opened and still can’t synchronise. Get errors every time.

    4. bob on March 22nd, 2007 1:18 am

      i fixed the problem by unblocked the port on my local software firewall (within windows), didn’t need to forward anything through the router

    5. Mydan on March 24th, 2007 3:36 pm

      Bob
      I can’t get it to sync all I get is error occured…
      So, how do you unblock the port.My windows firewall is disabled because i use mcaffe fire wall.In XP I used atomic sync utility but with vista it does not synchronize only tells me by how much it is off.Thanks

    6. Dave on March 25th, 2007 9:58 pm

      Mydan- I got this from somewhere else because I dont use McAfee but try this:

      In McAfee Security Center:
      Configure -> Internet & Firewall -> Firewall Protection -> Advanced -> System Services -> Network Time Protocol Port 123

    7. Daniel on April 5th, 2007 10:12 pm

      After opening the UDP port 123 in McAfee in order to allow updating the clock using time Internet, is it necessary to close it again in order to avoid hackers to use it?

    8. Andy Boyce on May 17th, 2007 2:46 am

      My time and date window does not have a tab for ‘Internet time’ – Using Vista Business. Help please !

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