How to create an NTP server?

I've been running NTP on my Linux network at home for years with no problems.

After reading some threads here it appears that the Linode host machines are running NTP and are keeping the Linodes' clocks in synch. I thought it'd be nice to run an NTP server in my Linode that does not synchronize the clock but simply provides the time for other machines.

I'm having trouble getting this working. I set the "disable ntp" flag in ntp.conf so it won't try to change the system clock. I read in the NTP FAQ that I should add the following lines to ntp.conf to make it a "local clock" (not sure why it's necessary, but ok):

server 127.127.1.1              # LCL, local clock
fudge  127.127.1.1 stratum 12   # increase stratum

When I run ntpdate from another machine, ntpdate complains with the so-unhelpful "no server suitable for synchronization found". Okay, BUT WHY? The debug mode of ntpdate gives more information, but nothing I can understand and none of it is explained in the ntpdate documentation:

> client:# ntpdate -d linodeServer

13 Feb 17:31:58 ntpdate[18546]: ntpdate 4.1.0 Mon Mar 25 23:39:50 UTC 2002 (2)

transmit(10.10.0.4)

receive(10.10.0.4)

transmit(10.10.0.4)

receive(10.10.0.4)

transmit(10.10.0.4)

receive(10.10.0.4)

transmit(10.10.0.4)

receive(10.10.0.4)

transmit(10.10.0.4)

server 10.10.0.4, port 123

stratum 16, precision -15, leap 11, trust 000

refid [0.0.0.0], delay 0.04883, dispersion 0.00201

transmitted 4, in filter 4

reference time: 00000000.00000000 Wed, Feb 6 2036 22:28:16.000

originate timestamp: c3d7f90f.05e9d0e9 Fri, Feb 13 2004 17:31:59.023

transmit timestamp: c3d7f90f.036c8b43 Fri, Feb 13 2004 17:31:59.013

filter delay: 0.05600 0.04883 0.05693 0.05148

0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000

filter offset: -0.00368 -0.00131 -0.00427 -0.00343

0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000

delay 0.04883, dispersion 0.00201

offset -0.001310

13 Feb 17:31:59 ntpdate[18546]: no server suitable for synchronization found
It seems odd to me that it prints "stratum 16"–based on my ntp.conf I expect "stratum 12".

I'm doing this through a VPN tunnel so there are no firewall issues to get in the way.

I'm running Debian and I've got the ntp-refclock package installed.

Any suggestions?

Thanks,

Maturin