Mint Mirrors Made Easy in China | Generated by AI
Question: Is changing the software sources in Linux Mint really easy and good, especially in China using Alibaba mirrors? Does Ubuntu have this functionality, or does one have to manually edit the apt config?
Answer:
Yes, Linux Mint makes changing software sources (mirrors/repositories) very easy and user-friendly through its built-in graphical tool called Software Sources (also accessible via Update Manager → Edit → Software Sources). This is one of the advantages Mint has over stock Ubuntu, especially for users in regions like China where official servers can be slow due to network conditions (e.g., the Great Firewall).
In Linux Mint (Cinnamon, etc.)
- Open Software Sources (search in menu or from Update Manager).
- It has separate tabs/sections for:
- Linux Mint repositories (Main mirror).
- Ubuntu base repositories (Base mirror, since Mint is Ubuntu-based).
- Click the dropdown or “Select best server” / mirror list button.
- It automatically pings and tests available mirrors worldwide (including many fast Chinese ones like Alibaba Cloud / mirrors.aliyun.com, Tsinghua TUNA, USTC, NJU, BFSU, SJTUG, etc.).
- You can pick the fastest one (often Alibaba or Tsinghua for China users) with one click—no manual editing needed.
- After selecting, it updates
/etc/apt/sources.listand/etc/apt/sources.list.d/files automatically. - This is especially helpful in China: Alibaba Cloud mirrors (https://mirrors.aliyun.com/linuxmint-packages/) are very popular, reliable, and fast inside the mainland.
This GUI tool is polished, safe, and avoids breaking anything.
In Ubuntu
- Ubuntu uses Software & Updates (gnome-software-properties or via Settings → Software & Updates in GNOME).
- It has a similar “Download from” dropdown for Ubuntu mirrors.
- You can select “Other…” → “Select Best Server” — it tests and picks the fastest mirror automatically (similar to Mint).
- It handles the change without manual editing for the main Ubuntu repositories.
- However:
- Ubuntu doesn’t have separate sections for “Linux Mint” repos (obviously, since it’s not Mint).
- For adding PPAs, third-party repos, or fine-tuning (like enabling source code repos), it’s graphical too.
- But in practice, many users (especially advanced or server/CLI-only) still end up manually editing
/etc/apt/sources.listor files in/etc/apt/sources.list.d/for custom mirrors, old releases, or specific tweaks. - Ubuntu does not have an exact equivalent to Mint’s dedicated “mintsources” tool with its clean separation and easy mirror switching for both Mint + Ubuntu layers.
Summary comparison
- Linux Mint → Easier and more convenient overall (dedicated tool, clear separation of Mint/Ubuntu mirrors, great mirror list including China-specific fast ones like Alibaba). Ideal for desktop users in China.
- Ubuntu → Has a good GUI for mirror selection (often sufficient), but less “opinionated”/polished for non-standard cases; manual
/etc/apt/sources.listedits are more common when needed (e.g., for very custom setups or troubleshooting). - Neither requires manual editing for basic mirror changes if you use the GUI.
Many China users praise Mint precisely for this reason—quick switch to Alibaba/TUNA mirrors fixes slow updates instantly.
References:
- https://linuxmint.com/mirrors.php
- https://forums.linuxmint.com/viewtopic.php?t=340354
- https://askubuntu.com/questions/227448/change-software-sources-from-the-command-line
- https://linuxconfig.org/ubuntu-mirrors
- https://github.com/linuxmint/mintsources