[cedwards@daphne ~]$ vrms
Non-free packages installed on daphne

linux-generic             Complete Generic Linux kernel
linux-restricted-modules- Non-free Linux 2.6.28 modules helper script
linux-restricted-modules- Restricted Linux modules for generic kernels
skype                     Skype - Take a deep breath
tangerine-icon-theme      Tangerine Icon theme
unrar                     Unarchiver for .rar files (non-free version)
Reason: Modifications problematic

Contrib packages installed on daphne

flashplugin-installer     Adobe Flash Player plugin installer
flashplugin-nonfree       Adobe Flash Player plugin installer (transitional pack
gstreamer0.10-pitfdll     GStreamer plugin for using MS Windows binary codecs
ttf-mscorefonts-installer Installer for Microsoft TrueType core fonts

6 non-free packages, 0.4% of 1400 installed packages.
4 contrib packages, 0.3% of 1400 installed packages.

note: Your mileage may vary.  I’ve seen these steps suggest a much faster repository and in other cases they can end up being slower.  Perhaps try two or three until you find a good one.

Updating Your Repository Server

Software packages and security updates are made available in Ubuntu by way of a software repository.  These repositories are mirrored all over the world, many times very close to where you live.  I, for example, have three mirrors within 50 miles of my house.  These are generally much faster than the core Ubuntu repositories.

To find a repository near you, or have your system scan for the fastest (which may or may not be local to you), you will need to launch the Software Sources tool.  This can be found in:

System > Administration > Software Sources

This administrative menu will allow you to change the location of your repository, and which items within the repository you want to subscribe to.  You will have the most software available if all boxes are checked.

From here we’ll want to select “Other” from the drop-down menu and we’ll be provided with a list of available servers.

To have your system try and find the fastest server you can select the “Select Best Server” option, which will try to connect to each repository mirror and track the fastest responses.  The location selected when this process is done should be the fastest available mirror at that time.

Remember, repository mirror speeds can fluctuate based on traffic and other factors.  For best results you might try this scan periodically and find which mirrors are consistently the best for your location.  Enjoy!