Hi
im fairly new to linux , I was wondering if it is possible to download packages ( i use synaptic) over a few different internet sessions, i am currently doing an upgrade and it would be good if i could download a few packages at one time and have the downloads start again from where they left off next time i log onto the net
Thanks for any advice

What distro are you using? If you're using a Debian based, you can use the command line tool apt-get install -dy package, which will do a "download only" and "assume yes" (so that it will automatically say yes to getting the dependencies also). Then you can just kill it with CTRL-C and run the command again the next time you're connected. Once everything is downloaded, then you just do a normal apt-get install package and it will take the files from your hard drive. I don't know if synaptic has a download only option or not as I always use the command line.

When I was on dialup, I had a cronjob setup to download stuff overnight and hangup at 4am. Each night it would pick up downloading the packages from where it left off. It took a whole week to download all the packages to do a dist-upgrade from Woody to Sarge. But it worked great. Once all the files were downloaded, I just typed apt-get dist-upgrade and I had a Sarge system...

thanks i'll try that, im useing mempis i think its a Debian based. At home i have broardband but i talked my mum into letting me install Linux on her laptop, she has wireless internet but the sig strength if pritty marginal i can only get it to stay on for a short time. Thanks again

Do you live close by? Laptops are portable and should be easy to plug into your broadband for a few minutes to finish the update...

And by wireless do you mean her provider is wireless or that she has broadband, but a wireless router in her house?

hi, mums provider is wirless , and although i could take the laptop home i live 350km away oh well a reasonable thought, ill try your suggestion next time im at mums , thanks again