# How can I change this address in ntpd?



## Michael (Feb 23, 2016)

How can I  change NTPD init address from "utcnist2.colorado.edu" to "time.nist.gov".


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## xtaz (Feb 23, 2016)

You probably just have to restart it with `service ntpd restart`. Unless you've changed anything the addresses are fetched from a pool taken from /etc/ntp.conf. Restarting it will pick up a new pool address.


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## Michael (Feb 23, 2016)

xtaz said:


> You probably just have to restart it with `service ntpd restart`. Unless you've changed anything the addresses are fetched from a pool taken from /etc/ntp.conf. Restarting it will pick up a new pool address.


The "server" parameter In my /etc/ntp.conf  is "time.nist.gov"，
I typed `grep -R utcnist2 /etc/*` , nothing found. where does "utcnist2.colorado.edu” come from?


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## SirDice (Feb 23, 2016)

Because it's a CNAME that's probably set according to your Geolocation.


```
dice@armitage:~ % dig time.nist.gov

; <<>> DiG 9.10.3-P3 <<>> time.nist.gov
;; global options: +cmd
;; Got answer:
;; ->>HEADER<<- opcode: QUERY, status: NOERROR, id: 26072
;; flags: qr rd ra; QUERY: 1, ANSWER: 2, AUTHORITY: 0, ADDITIONAL: 1

;; OPT PSEUDOSECTION:
; EDNS: version: 0, flags:; udp: 4096
;; QUESTION SECTION:
;time.nist.gov.			IN	A

;; ANSWER SECTION:
time.nist.gov.		1725	IN	CNAME	ntp1.glb.nist.gov.
ntp1.glb.nist.gov.	30	IN	A	128.138.141.172

;; Query time: 0 msec
;; SERVER: 80.69.67.66#53(80.69.67.66)
;; WHEN: Tue Feb 23 13:53:51 CET 2016
;; MSG SIZE  rcvd: 81
```



> 3. The generic name time.nist.gov will continue to point to all of our servers on a round-robin basis, and users are encouraged to access the service using this name.



http://tf.nist.gov/tf-cgi/servers.cgi


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## Michael (Feb 23, 2016)

SirDice , thank  you!


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