I installed Mint 17 on an old Samsung Netbook N220 without a problem. However I was unable to update, either through the Software Manager or via the command line (with apt-get). In frustration, and after much googling for help, I installed Linux Lite instead....being keen to try it.....and thinking the problem was distro related. The installation was fine but when I tried to update the same problem occured.Output from apt-get update:

simon@simon-N220:~$ sudo apt-get update
[sudo] password for simon:
Ign http://archive.canonical.com trusty InRelease
Ign http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security InRelease
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty Release.gpg
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty Release
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security Release
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty InRelease
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg
Hit http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg
Ign http://archive.canonical.com trusty/partner Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Sources
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Sources
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Sources
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release.gpg
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main i386 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse i386 Packages
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/main Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/multiverse Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/restricted Translation-en
Hit http://security.ubuntu.com trusty-security/universe Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty Release
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main i386 Packages
Hit http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main i386 Packages
Get:1 http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en [1,393 B]
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en_US
Ign http://ppa.launchpad.net trusty/main Translation-en
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty InRelease

Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates InRelease

Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports InRelease

Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty Release.gpg
Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-updates Release.gpg
Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://us.archive.ubuntu.com trusty-backports Release.gpg
Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'
Err http://repo.linuxliteos.com beryl InRelease

Err http://repo.linuxliteos.com beryl Release.gpg
Unable to connect to repo.linuxliteos.com:http:
Err http://repo.steampowered.com precise InRelease

Err http://repo.steampowered.com precise Release.gpg
Unable to connect to repo.steampowered.com:http: [IP: 212.56.73.33 80]
Err http://dl.google.com stable InRelease

Err http://dl.google.com stable InRelease

Err http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg
Cannot initiate the connection to dl.google.com:80 (2a00:1450:400c:c0a::88). - connect (101: Network is unreachable) [IP: 2a00:1450:400c:c0a::88 80]
Err http://dl.google.com stable Release.gpg
Cannot initiate the connection to dl.google.com:80 (2a00:1450:400c:c0a::88). - connect (101: Network is unreachable) [IP: 2a00:1450:400c:c0a::88 80]
Fetched 1,393 B in 8min 0s (2 B/s)
Reading package lists... Done
W: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...usty/InRelease

W: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...ates/InRelease

W: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...orts/InRelease

W: Failed to fetch http://repo.linuxliteos.com/linuxlit...eryl/InRelease

W: Failed to fetch http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/de...able/InRelease

W: Failed to fetch http://dl.google.com/linux/talkplugi...able/InRelease

W: Failed to fetch http://repo.steampowered.com/steam/d...cise/InRelease

W: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...ty/Release.gpg Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

W: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...es/Release.gpg Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

W: Failed to fetch http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/...ts/Release.gpg Could not resolve 'us.archive.ubuntu.com'

W: Failed to fetch http://repo.linuxliteos.com/linuxlit...yl/Release.gpg Unable to connect to repo.linuxliteos.com:http:

W: Failed to fetch http://repo.steampowered.com/steam/d...se/Release.gpg Unable to connect to repo.steampowered.com:http: [IP: 212.56.73.33 80]

W: Failed to fetch http://dl.google.com/linux/chrome/de...le/Release.gpg Cannot initiate the connection to dl.google.com:80 (2a00:1450:400c:c0a::88). - connect (101: Network is unreachable) [IP: 2a00:1450:400c:c0a::88 80]

W: Failed to fetch http://dl.google.com/linux/talkplugi...le/Release.gpg Cannot initiate the connection to dl.google.com:80 (2a00:1450:400c:c0a::88). - connect (101: Network is unreachable) [IP: 2a00:1450:400c:c0a::88 80]

W: Some index files failed to download. They have been ignored, or old ones used instead.
simon@simon-N220:~$

Contents of sources.list is:

simon@simon-N220:/etc/apt$ cat sources.list
# deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted

# deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates main restricted
# deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security main restricted

# See http://help.ubuntu.com/community/UpgradeNotes for how to upgrade to
# newer versions of the distribution.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty main restricted

## Major bug fix updates produced after the final release of the
## distribution.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates main restricted
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates main restricted

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team. Also, please note that software in universe WILL NOT receive any
## review or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty universe
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty universe
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates universe
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates universe

## N.B. software from this repository is ENTIRELY UNSUPPORTED by the Ubuntu
## team, and may not be under a free licence. Please satisfy yourself as to
## your rights to use the software. Also, please note that software in
## multiverse WILL NOT receive any review or updates from the Ubuntu
## security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty multiverse
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-updates multiverse

## N.B. software from this repository may not have been tested as
## extensively as that contained in the main release, although it includes
## newer versions of some applications which may provide useful features.
## Also, please note that software in backports WILL NOT receive any review
## or updates from the Ubuntu security team.
deb http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports main restricted universe multiverse
deb-src http://us.archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/ trusty-backports main restricted universe multiverse

deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security main restricted
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security main restricted
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security universe
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security universe
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security multiverse
deb-src http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty-security multiverse

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Canonical's
## 'partner' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by Canonical and the
## respective vendors as a service to Ubuntu users.
# deb http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu trusty partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ubuntu trusty partner

## Uncomment the following two lines to add software from Ubuntu's
## 'extras' repository.
## This software is not part of Ubuntu, but is offered by third-party
## developers who want to ship their latest software.
# deb http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main
# deb-src http://extras.ubuntu.com/ubuntu trusty main
deb http://archive.canonical.com/ trusty partner
# deb-src http://archive.canonical.com/ trusty partner

## Linux Lite Repository
deb http://repo.linuxliteos.com/linuxlite/ beryl main

There is no problem with my internet connection. I have another notebook running mint17 and I have no problems updating. Is the problem with the repos? I don't know and would appreciate some help.
BTW, is there a better way of posting large chunks of CL output?

Do you have a proxy?

No proxy. I connect via home router and broadband modem. IP assignment is by DHCP. Content of resolv.conf is:
simon@simon-N220:/etc$ cat resolv.conf
# Dynamic resolv.conf(5) file for glibc resolver(3) generated by resolvconf(8)
# DO NOT EDIT THIS FILE BY HAND -- YOUR CHANGES WILL BE OVERWRITTEN
nameserver 127.0.0.1

nameserver 127.0.1.1
search lan

Was wondering if the problem was DNS related.

Simon

Not too familiar with Debian based distros, but instead of using sudo and running it as your user with elevated privileges, run it as root with su -c. I've had odd problems with programs that were user-specific. Using a different user and/or clearing all application settings (rm -fr ~/.*) helped me with those.

Some of your sources return 404 so they are probably down try another mirror.

Thank you for the replies. The problem is at my router but I don't understand what it is or why. I took the machine to a mate's house and updated it in a flash on his wifi using sudo apt-get update....so there is no problem with the repos. Yet at home the update fails despite the fact that I have no problem updating my other machine (running mint 17). I did re-boot my router with no success. Will need further investigation. Thankfully I am merely playing about with this machine so not in any hurry........and in the meantime learning a lot!

Sometimes a car will hit a telephone pole in my area and I have to wait quite some time to reach my isp servers again.
This might be what happened to you.