I used to have problem when updating security update on my Ubuntu 9.10 (Karmic Koala), the connection was extremely slow even when I’m connected to fast network and occasionally the download was dropped without any reason which could lead a disastrous results. So I’ve been researching and I figured it out the problem is with my poor choice of repository server. The Repository Server I’ve had been using is apparently have some problem with their connection. Problem found and this lead to another problem, how do I look for the fastest Repository Server since there’re so many out there.
The answer is to let your system scan for the fastest server available. You will need to launch Software Sources tool, which can be found in
System > Administration > Software Sources
This administrative menu will allow you to change the location of your preferred repository, and change items within the repository you want to subscribe to. You will have the most software available if all boxes are checked.
From ‘Ubuntu Software’ tab select ‘Other’ from ‘Download from:’ drop-down menu and you’ll be given a list of available server sorted with country.
To have your system test and find the faster server you can select the ‘Select Best Server’ option, which will try to connect to each repository server mirror and find the fastest response. After the process done, it will select the fastest server available and you can either change it or run the process again until you’re satisfied.
note: Tested on Ubuntu 8.04 and 9.10. Your mileage may vary. Try to run the process two or three times until you find the good one. Repository mirror speeds can fluctuate based on many factors (e.g Traffic).
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