Time Monitor Advanced Settings

Defining Time Monitor Advanced settings

This document contains all the information required to effectively use the Time Monitor Administrator program to properly configure the Time Monitor parental control software application. These settings affect how the Time Monitor Administrator program and the Time Monitor system tray application will function. Please read this document and understand it's feature set before making any changes.

When you first run the Time Monitor Administrator program you will see the following screen:

After configuring the Time Monitor standard settings you may modify the advanced program settings. From the menu click on "Options" then select "Advanced".
You will then see the following screen:

 

TIME MONITOR ADVANCED SETTINGS

 

Synchronize with an Internet time server

This setting, when checked, indicates that your computer system should attempt to synchronize it's time with standard Internet time. This ensures that your computer's time is current and it is recommended that this box be checked.

The Internet time server dropdown list contains the addresses of Internet time servers that were initially configured when you installed Windows onto your computer. You may add to or change these server addresses by clicking Start->Control Panel->Date and Time and selecting the Internet time tab. Do this especially if you have no servers listed in the dropdown list.

Turning this feature off is only necessary if the computer does not access the Internet or there are no valid Internet time servers that you can successfully connect to.

Enable account lockout due to large time change

This setting enables Time Monitor to watch for system time change activity. This is especially important if your child's computer account has administrative privileges or the ability to change the time on the computer. Being able to change the computer time may allow your child to log onto the computer during a time you prohibit. Time Monitor guards against this by validating any time changes against the settings defined below.

Windows may also adjust the computer time to account for differences in time. This happens automatically in the background and usually is not noticable. It will also adjust time at scheduled intervals when attempting to synchronize computer time with an Internet time server.

Disabling this feature will prevent Time Monitor from guarding against computer time changes. Please read the support document "[24:00] Access currently denied" before clearing this checkbox.

Maximum variation in seconds

This field contains the permitted variation in seconds (the difference between previous and new system time) when Time Monitor receives a system time change message from Windows. The default of 30 seconds allows for Windows to adjust the clock due to any slight skewing of time. Certain computer systems may require that this setting be changed from the default of 30 to 120 or higher if your child is constantly being locked out. If this is the case please read "[24:00] Access currently denied" for more information regarding this.

Minimum threshold in seconds

This field contains the minimum amount of time that must elapse between time change messages received by Time Monitor. The default of 600 seconds means that at least 10 minutes must separate the receipt of the first time change message by Time Monitor following an occurrance of another time change message. This is to prevent a child with administrative privileges from making many small time changes within the allowable Maximum variation in seconds setting.

Certain computer systems may require that this setting be changed from the default of 600 to 360 or lower if your child is constantly being locked out. If this is the case please read "[24:00] Access currently denied" for more information regarding this.