ntpMerlin ntpMerlin - NTP Daemon for AsusWRT Merlin

[Vexira]

I am just interested in comparing with ntpd.

I can screen shot mine if you wanted.

 

[QuikSilver]

I am just interested in comparing with ntpd.

Are you wanting to see a certain section of the graphs? For me I've noticed that the offset seems to stay between 1 plus or minus whereas before it was much higher..plus or minus.

 

[nephilim]

Switched on Sept 20. Chrony has not fully removed the offset spikes.

 

[no_name]

Switching to Chrony on the 20th has smoothed out my graphs

 

[Linux_Chemist]

Great stuff!! I'm also grateful for the entware package update to allow chrony to run as nobody - that's a good security consideration.

If I could suggest an addition to chrony - an option to run 'ipv4 only', maybe have one of the prompts ask if the user would like "ipv4" or "both", and if "v4 only" have the script insert a -4 in the run command:

 ARGS="-4 -r -u nobody -f $SCRIPT_STORAGE_DIR/chrony.conf"

Just so that it isn't also listening on ipv6 localhost as well unnecessarily (fraid my current ISP doesn't offer ipv6 even now in 2020 , so I have it disabled on everything).

 

[gattaca]

^^^ yes, that's why in my NTP.CONF file I tell ntp to only use ipv4... so the same should apply to chrony as I do not run IPV6 on my home networks.

 

[gattaca]

RaspiServer is a Raspberry Pi Zero ($10), a Neo-8M GPS module ($11) and external antenna ($10). I now have a GPS/PPS based Stratum 1 time server. It's even a member of pool.ntp.org!
The things one does to keep amused during these times ;-)

I'm waiting for someone to figure out and package up how to hang the GPS module off a USB port on an ASUS router..

 

[JT Strickland]

Great stuff!! I'm also grateful for the entware package update to allow chrony to run as nobody - that's a good security consideration.

If I could suggest an addition to chrony - an option to run 'ipv4 only', maybe have one of the prompts ask if the user would like "ipv4" or "both", and if "v4 only" have the script insert a -4 in the run command:

 ARGS="-4 -r -u nobody -f $SCRIPT_STORAGE_DIR/chrony.conf"

Just so that it isn't also listening on ipv6 localhost as well unnecessarily (fraid my current ISP doesn't offer ipv6 even now in 2020 , so I have it disabled on everything).

Will it work to SSH that command and change the config file to use ipv4 only?

 

[L&LD]

Have been using chronyd for the past three days and there is no doubt, the internet is much more responsive!

Thanks, @Jack Yaz for this powerful addition.

My only question now is, why isn't this available in the stable channel?

 

[Linux_Chemist]

Will it work to SSH that command and change the config file to use ipv4 only?

Sure - SSH in, edit /opt/etc/init.d/S77chronyd
and at the bottom of the file, look for the ARGS= line and put that -4 in after the first quotation mark Then load up ntpmerlin and do the 'r to restart' chrony using the new setting.
Of course this will be overwritten if you update.

You can verify what connections you have/are listening with netstat -peanut

 

[thecheapseats]

I'm waiting for someone to figure out and package up how to hang the GPS module off a USB port on an ASUS router..

the easiest/best way is to hang it on a Pi, acting as a time server, so it's always available to your network even if/when the router pukes on your shoes...

 

[ColinTaylor]

Have been using chronyd for the past three days and there is no doubt, the internet is much more responsive!

How does this make "the internet much more responsive"?

 

[thecheapseats]

I'm waiting for someone to figure out and package up how to hang the GPS module off a USB port on an ASUS router..

and for anyone reading this and thinking about a GPS module/Pi solution as a network time source - your life will be much easier with a GPS device that supplies the pps output on a breakout (wire)... several older generation self-contained gps/usb dongles (available for cheap on the net) will require soldering to get the pps signal output (you need this) - which is fine if you have those skills and serious solder-rework magnification...

but generally that's just a goofy hassle for most people... u-blox gps devices are the gold-standard - do your research...

 

[immi803]

@Jack Yaz
I'm using chrony in dev branch, unbound doesn't detect it as previously it used to identify entware ntp is enabled, unbound simply refuses to see chrony as we need to turn on unbound requirement as local time server needs to be activated
Chrony is undoubtedly an asset, awesome time management , just found this compatibility /whatever bug with unbound, please look into it
Thanks

 

[Martineau]

@Jack Yaz
I'm using chrony in dev branch, unbound doesn't detect it as previously it used to identify entware ntp is enabled, unbound simply refuses to see chrony as we need to turn on unbound requirement as local time server needs to be activated
Chrony is undoubtedly an asset, awesome time management , just found this compatibility /whatever bug with unbound, please look into it
Thanks

You can download unbound_manager v3.20 Beta which detects either NTP Server

e  = Exit Script [?]

A:Option ==> ?

e  = Exit Script [?]

A:Option ==> ?

    Version=3.20                    (Change Log: https://github.com/MartineauUK/Unbound-Asuswrt-Merlin/commits/dev/unbound_manager.sh)

    Router Configuration recommended pre-reqs status:

    [✔] Swapfile=1048572 kB
    [✔] DNS Filter=ON
    [✔] DNS Filter=ROUTER
    [✖] Warning WAN: Use local caching DNS server as system resolver=YES        see http://10.88.8.1:80/Tools_OtherSettings.asp ->Advanced Tweaks and Hacks
    [✔] Entware NTP server 'S77chronyd' is running
    [✔] Enable DNS Rebind protection=NO
    [✔] Enable DNSSEC support=NO

 

[Jack Yaz]

@Jack Yaz
I'm using chrony in dev branch, unbound doesn't detect it as previously it used to identify entware ntp is enabled, unbound simply refuses to see chrony as we need to turn on unbound requirement as local time server needs to be activated
Chrony is undoubtedly an asset, awesome time management , just found this compatibility /whatever bug with unbound, please look into it
Thanks

Unfortunately not my issue to fix, but looks like the unbound_manager author is already on it

 

[Jumpstarter]

Have been using chronyd for the past three days and there is no doubt, the internet is much more responsive!

Thanks, @Jack Yaz for this powerful addition.

My only question now is, why isn't this available in the stable channel?

What does the memory usage look like on your router with chronyd versus ntpd? I noticed my internet seems more responsive with ntpd, but i am not sure why.

 

[L&LD]

@ColinTaylor I certainly don't know why or how, but it is.

@Jumpstarter I don't look at the memory usage normally, but I just did for you and I have 47MB out of 1GB free on my RT-AX88U. No change in other words.

 

[JT Strickland]

Sure - SSH in, edit /opt/etc/init.d/S77chronyd
and at the bottom of the file, look for the ARGS= line and put that -4 in after the first quotation mark Then load up ntpmerlin and do the 'r to restart' chrony using the new setting.
Of course this will be overwritten if you update.

You can verify what connections you have/are listening with netstat -peanut

Thanks, I will do that.

Also, MyCloudEX2Ultra has the default time server set to windows dot com, and I can add my own, but I wasn't sure what to label it as and if it was even necessary since all clients are forced to use ntpMerlin (I think). Anyone have any suggestions?
thanks,
jts

 

[Wade Coxon]

I have re-installed ntpmerlin to experiment further, but I am still getting these 7zip segfaults on my rt-ac86u.
On my most recent install I was initially not generating graphs due to SQLite checksum mismatches, so I sorted that out.
I also switched my data storage to USB instead of jffs in case there were problems writing to that location. I am still getting these segfaults though.

Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: pgd = ffffffc012ea0000 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: [00000008] *pgd=00000000113c2003, *pud=00000000113c2003, *pmd=0000000000000000 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: CPU: 0 PID: 23862 Comm: 7z Tainted: P O 4.1.27 #2 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: Hardware name: Broadcom-v8A (DT) Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: task: ffffffc015796b40 ti: ffffffc012ee8000 task.ti: ffffffc012ee8000 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: PC is at 0x7f91e298b0 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: LR is at 0x7f91e29898 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: pc : [<0000007f91e298b0>] lr : [<0000007f91e29898>] pstate: 60000000 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: sp : 0000007f8d5f98d0 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x29: 0000007f8d5f98d0 x28: 0000007f92382000 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x27: 000000000bec6560 x26: 0000007f92382000 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x25: 0000007f9237e000 x24: 000000000bec5808 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x23: 0000000000000000 x22: 000000000bec5968 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x21: 000000000bec5b30 x20: 000000000bec6560 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x19: 000000000bec58c0 x18: 000000005f6f8299 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x17: 0000007f9225c750 x16: 0000000000491308 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x15: 0000007f923501a8 x14: 0000000000000002 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x13: 0000000000000150 x12: 0000007f8d5fa1d0 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x11: 00000000003d0f00 x10: 0000007f9235bb80 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x9 : 000000000000270f x8 : 00000000000000de Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x7 : 0000000000000069 x6 : 0000000000468940 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x5 : 0000000000000000 x4 : 0000000000000000 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x3 : 000000000000000c x2 : 0000007f8d5fa8c0 Sep 27 10:04:09 kernel: x1 : 0000000000000001 x0 : 0000007f91f02318

When I ran the netpmerlin option 1 "generate graphs" from ssh, I first got:
Segmentation fault

Then on subsequent attempts I got:
ERROR: Can't allocate required memory! mv: can't rename '/tmp/ntpmerlindata.zip': No such file or directory

My router is reporting 199MB RAM free, so I am not sure what it is complaining about. Am I supposed to have swap enabled?

All the graphs appear to actually be getting generated, so I don't know what this error is all about.