A method to provide a common reference frame between two receivers, preferably for quantum key distribution, wherein the first receiver is connected via a first transmission channel to an entangled photon source and the second receiver is connected via a second transmission channel to the entangled photon source, wherein the entangled photon source produces entangled photon pairs, preferably entangled in polarization or time-bin or orbital angular momentum or path, wherein the first photon of each entangled photon pair is sent via the first transmission channel to the first receiver and the second photon of each entangled photon pair is sent via the second transmission channel to the second receiver, wherein the first receiver comprises a first and a second measurement means to measure the photons in two mutually unbiased measurement bases, wherein the second receiver comprises a third and a fourth measurement means to measure the photons in two mutually unbiased measurement bases, wherein each measurement means can measure the photons in at least two orthogonal states, wherein the four measurement means (M1, M2, M3, M4) can communicate the time of the detection of a photon of the entangled photon pairs to detect coincidences between both receivers of an entangled photon pair and to calculate the visibility and/or the quantum bit error rate (QBER), - wherein three of the four measurement means each comprise one correction means (C1, C2, C3) to set the common reference frame, - wherein the method comprises the steps of i) minimization of the QBER or maximization of the visibility for photons detected in the first and third measurement means by adjusting the first correction means in order to set the same measurement bases between the first measurement means and the third measurement means, ii) maximization of the QBER or minimization of the visibility for photons detected in the first and fourth measurement means by adjusting the second correction means in order to set two mutually unbiased measurement bases between the first measurement means and the fourth measurement means, iii) minimization of the QBER or maximization of the visibility for photons detected in the fourth and second measurement means by adjusting the third correction means in order to set the same measurement bases between the fourth measurement means and the second measurement means. wherein the first receiver is connected via a first transmission channel to an entangled photon source and the second receiver is connected via a second transmission channel to the entangled photon source, wherein the entangled photon source produces entangled photon pairs, preferably entangled in polarization or time-bin or orbital angular momentum or path, wherein the first photon of each entangled photon pair is sent via the first transmission channel to the first receiver and the second photon of each entangled photon pair is sent via the second transmission channel to the second receiver, wherein the first receiver comprises a first and a second measurement means to measure the photons in two mutually unbiased measurement bases, wherein the second receiver comprises a third and a fourth measurement means to measure the photons in two mutually unbiased measurement bases, wherein each measurement means can measure the photons in at least two orthogonal states, wherein the four measurement means (M1, M2, M3, M4) can communicate the time of the detection of a photon of the entangled photon pairs to detect coincidences between both receivers of an entangled photon pair and to calculate the visibility and/or the quantum bit error rate (QBER), - wherein three of the four measurement means each comprise one correction means (C1, C2, C3) to set the common reference frame, - wherein the method comprises the steps of i) minimization of the QBER or maximization of the visibility for photons detected in the first and third measurement means by adjusting the first correction means in order to set the same measurement bases between the first measurement means and the third measurement means, ii) maximization of the QBER or minimization of the visibility for photons detected in the first and fourth measurement means by adjusting the second correction means in order to set two mutually unbiased measurement bases between the first measurement means and the fourth measurement means, iii) minimization of the QBER or maximization of the visibility for photons detected in the fourth and second measurement means by adjusting the third correction means in order to set the same measurement bases between the fourth measurement means and the second measurement means.