Volumio on a Raspberry PI makes online accesses every 20 seconds

Help and Support
1

Though doing nothing for the user, volumio makes online accesses every 20 seconds to numerous ip’s including 35.190.39.113, 85.199.214.98, 85.199.214.99. Why the continuous chatter when the system is doing nothing for the user?

2

Hey @ianburton

To better understand what’s causing Volumio to make these repeated online accesses, could you please provide a full debug log? You can generate one by following these steps:

  1. Open Volumio’s web UI.
  2. Reproduce the issue (let it run for a couple of minutes).
  3. Go to http://volumio.local/dev (or your device’s IP).
  4. Click Send Log or Bug Report, then share the log ID here.

Additionally, capturing network traffic using tcpdump or a router-level packet capture might give further insights. If you can, let us know which domains or IPs are being contacted repeatedly.

Kind Regards,

3

http://logs.volumio.org/volumio/qljzJoU.html

Mentioned some of the ip’s that are being contacted in my original post.

4

Hey @ianburton,

The repeated online accesses you’re seeing every ~20 seconds appear to be primarily related to ntpd (Network Time Protocol Daemon). Here’s what’s happening and why:

Why is ntpd making frequent requests?

  1. Initial Time Sync:

    • When ntpd starts, it reaches out to multiple NTP pool servers to determine the correct system time.
    • This is expected behavior at startup, but should stabilize after the initial sync.

  2. Frequent Polling Due to Clock Drift:

    • If the system clock is unstable (e.g., due to a missing or unreliable RTC on Raspberry Pi), ntpd may continue polling frequently to adjust the time.
    • Normally, ntpd is designed to gradually reduce polling frequency as it establishes a reliable sync.

  3. Network Issues or Unstable Sync:

    • If ntpd fails to get a satisfactory response from a server, it may retry quickly.
    • This could be due to network delays, server issues, or interference from another process.

What About the Google IP (35.190.39.113)?

  • This IP belongs to Google Cloud and isn’t a standard NTP server.
  • It could be contacted by another process within Volumio, such as:
    • Volumio Remote Updater
    • MyVolumio services
    • Cloud-based album art fetching
    • Some plugin functionality

Conclusion

  • The NTP requests you see every 20 seconds are likely due to ongoing clock adjustments.

Kind regards,

5

I stopped logging into Volumio a long time ago, I use it minimally and without plug-ins. I’ve lost faith

6

Hi nerd - Using sudo nano /etc/systemd/timesyncd.conf I set volumio to use my internal ntp server. Used the actual ip and not a name as I’m not sure if volumio uses DNS. Now volumio makes external access on port 123 (ntp port) to loads of destinations. Too many to list here, a few are static-90-255-244-219 dot vodafonexds dot co dot uk, ntp dot lon dot bitshelter dot com, electra dot pinklemon dot net, mwumba dot com. My problem got worse!

7

Hey @Celona

I understand your frustration, but the Volumio Community is here to help with technical issues. If you’re experiencing problems, sharing logs or details can lead to solutions.

Faith belongs elsewhere—here, we troubleshoot, debug, and fix. If there’s a specific issue causing concern, let’s work through it together.

Would you like help diagnosing any technical difficulties you’re facing with Volumio?

Kind Regards,

8

Solved it. volumio doesn’t use systemd. Edited sudo nano /etc/ntp.conf with my ntp server and the chatter has stopped. All those ip’s may have been a Debian pool

1 Like
9

Hey @ianburton,

I was about to suggest:

Before making changes, we should focus on understanding why Volumio frequently needs time updates rather than just modifying NTP settings…

Glad you got this sorted.

Kind Regards,

10

Very much agree. Why does volumio need ntp lookup every 20 seconds? Raspberry Pi’s not not have hardware clocks so you will get drift. Why does volumio need highly accurate time? Why not do ntp lookup’s every 20 mins or so? Save eating WAN bandwidth for no benefit.

11

Hey @ianburton

Time synchronization is crucial for services like Spotify, Tidal, multiroom audio, and bit-perfect playback (just to mention few) because:

  1. Multiroom Sync: Devices need accurate clocks to stay in sync and avoid audio drift when playing simultaneously across multiple rooms.
  2. Streaming Services (Spotify, Tidal, etc.): Authentication tokens and DRM often require accurate timestamps to function correctly.
  3. Bit-Perfect Playback: High-resolution audio playback can be affected if timestamps drift, leading to jitter or potential playback issues.

Additionally, Raspberry Pi lacks a real-time clock (RTC) and relies on a basic crystal oscillator, which is prone to time drift. Without periodic NTP updates, the system clock can skew significantly, impacting time-sensitive applications. And this alone forces VolumioOS to counteract and keep the time tidy.

That said, 20-second intervals seem excessive—normally, NTP should adjust over time and reduce polling frequency. If excessive lookups persist, it might be worth adjusting NTP settings (minpoll/maxpoll in /etc/ntp.conf) to reduce frequency.

Alternative Solution: Add an RTC Module

To avoid dependency on internet time sync, you can install a hardware RTC module like DS3231 or PCF8523 and configure it.

Hope that helps.

Kind Regards,

12

Thanks for the explanation of why they seek to keep accurate time. Hope this thread benefits others.

13

Thank you for your interest and explanations; as I wrote, I have been using Volumio without logging in for a while, I got used to it and I don’t miss the plug-ins that have often bothered me.

Ultimately, it does what I want, it allows me to listen to my music library without distractions and without artifacts. I will continue to use it this way, as long as I can.

Honestly, I find the other functions illogical from a commercial point of view, e.g. who would want to pay to use AirPlay on other speakers or other rooms? If I have AirPlay speakers, I also have an old Apple device and I will use that, it costs me less. I looked for a dedicated solution to integrate into a much better audio chain.

And I don’t even understand why I should listen to music on YouTube with Volumio, or maybe I spent my money to listen to it via Bluetooth? No, absolutely not, I could have done it even without Volumio.

So I will continue in this way. Thanks anyway.

14

Hey @Celona,

That makes sense. As long as your music library is stored locally, you should be fine. If you’re using an SMB or NAS mount, though, keep in mind that a proper time sync is crucial. Many SBCs, including those without a real-time clock (RTC), rely on network time to correctly handle file timestamps. Without proper sync, you might run into issues with file access or playback inconsistencies.

Every community member has their own use case and opinion, which is what makes the ecosystem interesting. Some appreciate the added features, while others prefer a minimal setup like yours. One cool aspect of Volumio setups is their portability—pairing them with a power source allows you to take them anywhere, like a party mode on the go. And this is where integrations are a big win. I mean BIG WIN!

Kind Regards,

BTW: Enjoy your music, however you like it! :notes: