The time on my Mac is 5 minutes ahead of the actual time
If neither the ntp pool nor time.apple.com are suitbable or reachable from the network you use, you may have to resort to setting your clock manually. Once you are within 15 seconds of time, do try the command line option again and setting it automatic.
Also, when you can try a different network or VPN to a server in a different geo that might help get around network issues local to you.
From this question on Ask Ubuntu, it's pretty likely your ISP is blocking port 123 which ntp needs to work.
- https://askubuntu.com/questions/429306/ntpdate-no-server-suitable-for-synchronization-found
You can get a good server date from curl as well:
curl -I http://www.apple.com 2>/dev/null | grep ^Date:
If you wanted to parse that and set the date, that would be an easy fix for a one time correction or an alias you might run periodically at the command line. To debug things properly, here is the command I would use:
ntpdate -vd time.apple.com
It will show you the packets being sent and received and then a detailed explanation of how the time is changed like this:
$ ntpdate -vd time.apple.com
21 Feb 13:12:49 ntpdate[17139]: ntpdate [email protected] Fri May 28 01:20:57 UTC 2010 (1)
Looking for host time.apple.com and service ntp
host found : jptyo5-ntp-002.aaplimg.com
transmit(17.253.68.253)
receive(17.253.68.253)
transmit(17.253.68.253)
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server 17.253.68.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.19341, dispersion 0.00044
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748aad.d730f54c Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:45.840
originate timestamp: da748ab2.b8b599ea Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.721
transmit timestamp: da748ab2.a3ff151e Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.640
filter delay: 0.19453 0.19344 0.19341 0.19354
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: -0.00252 -0.00223 -0.00296 -0.00309
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.19341, dispersion 0.00044
offset -0.002966
server 17.253.84.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.24779, dispersion 0.00063
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748ab2.077fa659 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.029
originate timestamp: da748ab3.1f69b486 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.122
transmit timestamp: da748ab3.000ebedf Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.000
filter delay: 0.24779 0.24857 0.24857 0.24823
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.011965 0.011501 0.011355 0.011109
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.24779, dispersion 0.00063
offset 0.011965
server 17.253.14.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.06609, dispersion 0.00035
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748aaa.d5225db1 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:42.832
originate timestamp: da748ab2.af170bf9 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.683
transmit timestamp: da748ab2.a8bec679 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.659
filter delay: 0.06775 0.06786 0.06865 0.06609
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.005122 0.004585 0.004944 0.004527
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.06609, dispersion 0.00035
offset 0.004527
server 17.253.54.251, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.14940, dispersion 0.00041
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748aac.bdf434ff Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:44.742
originate timestamp: da748ab3.2c5f6146 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.173
transmit timestamp: da748ab3.1af31b15 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.105
filter delay: 0.14940 0.14998 0.15178 0.15584
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.004575 0.004469 0.005269 0.002918
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.14940, dispersion 0.00041
offset 0.004575
server 17.253.38.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -22, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.17906, dispersion 0.00018
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748aaf.ba3c03ed Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:47.727
originate timestamp: da748ab3.7ab88eb4 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.479
transmit timestamp: da748ab3.65d5b24e Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.397
filter delay: 0.17940 0.18303 0.18025 0.17906
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.004901 0.006247 0.004883 0.004856
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.17906, dispersion 0.00018
offset 0.004856
server 17.253.12.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.07823, dispersion 0.00056
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748ab2.71e94c76 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.444
originate timestamp: da748ab3.52ca2f7d Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.323
transmit timestamp: da748ab3.4aa5a469 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.291
filter delay: 0.07823 0.07959 0.07927 0.07938
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.004089 0.004683 0.004710 0.004907
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.07823, dispersion 0.00056
offset 0.004089
server 17.253.4.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.08247, dispersion 0.00029
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748ab2.9c86971f Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.611
originate timestamp: da748ab3.89a4a287 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.537
transmit timestamp: da748ab3.811904b3 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.504
filter delay: 0.08247 0.08354 0.08432 0.08316
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.004894 0.005381 0.005089 0.004592
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.08247, dispersion 0.00029
offset 0.004894
server 17.253.34.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.14059, dispersion 0.00099
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748ab2.20438b82 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.126
originate timestamp: da748ab3.f3cda148 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.952
transmit timestamp: da748ab3.e449ba5e Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.891
filter delay: 0.14117 0.14233 0.15315 0.14059
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.002630 0.002604 0.008246 0.003099
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.14059, dispersion 0.00099
offset 0.003099
server 17.253.6.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.06593, dispersion 0.00092
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748ab0.6e7f416f Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:48.431
originate timestamp: da748ab3.e2b4f880 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.885
transmit timestamp: da748ab3.dc14940b Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:51.859
filter delay: 0.06708 0.07036 0.06593 0.06798
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.004849 0.005614 0.003835 0.004670
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.06593, dispersion 0.00092
offset 0.003835
server 17.253.2.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.06876, dispersion 0.00075
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748aaf.90dc62bd Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:47.565
originate timestamp: da748ab4.18d780e7 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.097
transmit timestamp: da748ab4.11df43c7 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.069
filter delay: 0.06931 0.06876 0.07674 0.06888
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.005531 0.005830 0.001524 0.005548
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.06876, dispersion 0.00075
offset 0.005830
server 17.253.52.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.14632, dispersion 0.00113
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748ab2.061595ca Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.023
originate timestamp: da748ab4.97b9bf94 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.592
transmit timestamp: da748ab4.871cfbb9 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.527
filter delay: 0.14799 0.14728 0.14632 0.14771
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.003221 0.003651 0.002333 0.003804
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.14632, dispersion 0.00113
offset 0.002333
server 17.253.26.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -20, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.08757, dispersion 0.00072
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748ab2.e54f6304 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:50.895
originate timestamp: da748ab4.8e9150ca Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.556
transmit timestamp: da748ab4.8569e3c9 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.521
filter delay: 0.08926 0.08757 0.08945 0.08951
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.005532 0.004636 0.005372 0.003800
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.08757, dispersion 0.00072
offset 0.004636
server 17.253.24.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -19, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.04640, dispersion 0.00031
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748aac.fbc2a34e Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:44.983
originate timestamp: da748ab4.9e9d94bb Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.619
transmit timestamp: da748ab4.9a957470 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.603
filter delay: 0.05292 0.04898 0.04640 0.04791
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.005614 0.004655 0.004368 0.004577
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.04640, dispersion 0.00031
offset 0.004368
server 17.253.20.253, port 123
stratum 1, precision -22, leap 00, trust 000
refid [GPSs], delay 0.07130, dispersion 0.00035
transmitted 4, in filter 4
reference time: da748ab1.90646e72 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:49.564
originate timestamp: da748ab4.e674782a Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.900
transmit timestamp: da748ab4.df764f11 Sun, Feb 21 2016 13:12:52.872
filter delay: 0.07245 0.07431 0.07130 0.07147
0.00000 0.00000 0.00000 0.00000
filter offset: 0.005126 0.005608 0.004607 0.004382
0.000000 0.000000 0.000000 0.000000
delay 0.07130, dispersion 0.00035
offset 0.004607
21 Feb 13:12:52 ntpdate[17139]: adjust time server 17.253.24.253 offset 0.004368 sec