I installed PCLinuxOS to my harddrive and am having trouble updating the package list from the repositories. I've tried all the repositories and they all fail/time-out when I try to do an update. This is using Synaptic. When I tried using Kpackage instead, it timed-out, too but gave me the error message: "Could not connect data socket, Connection timed out." Is that a clue?

I use my DSL modem as a firewall.. The Shorewall software firewall that comes with PCLOS doesn't seem to make any difference whether it's on or off. I turned off the software firewall and noticed that it didn't change anything when I went to grc.com for a port scan, so I don't think it's a firewall issue, although someone here might very well know better.

Any ideas what's going on? TIA...

If you are sure that your addresses are correct, then it sounds like a firewalling issue - either at your end, or the other! "Connection timed out" indicates that the host is up, but the packets are being silently dropped (as opposed to accepted or denied) - this is firewalling behaviour.

Why don't you post the server and port you are trying to connect to, and we can determine whether the problem lies with your configuration or the server (or if you have access to another machine not behind your firewall, try it from there).

I don't know the port I'm trying to connect to. Here are the repositories. I've tried them all (not at the same time)- they all fail in the same way.

http://distro.ibiblio.org/pub/linux/...pclinuxos/apt/

ftp://ftp-linux.cc.gatech.edu/pub/me...pclinuxos/apt/

ftp://ftp.nluug.nl/pub/metalab/distr...pclinuxos/apt/

http://ftp.belnet.be/linux/pclinuxos/apt/

ahh, they are http/ftp connections (so you do know what ports you are connecting to . They are accessible from here, indicating the problem is at your end. Can you post the results of
#iptables -L
#iptables -L -t nat
You will need to be root to run these.

# iptables -L
Chain INPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target prot opt source destination

Chain FORWARD (policy ACCEPT)
target prot opt source destination

Chain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target prot opt source destination

# iptables -L -t nat
Chain PREROUTING (policy ACCEPT)
target prot opt source destination

Chain POSTROUTING (policy ACCEPT)
target prot opt source destination

Chain OUTPUT (policy ACCEPT)
target prot opt source destination

Thank you for your help.

OK, so there's nothing intefering with your outgoing traffic. What happens if you run:

telnet distro.ibiblio.org 80

If this results in a telnet prompt, then it seeems to point to some configuration issue with your package management tools (which is suspicious, given that there is more than one of them - unless they utilise some global configuration). I use apt-get, and have no experience with higher level tools.