How to install a Debian package from internet?

Question

I am trying to install Debian kernel sources using the following commands -

sudo apt-get install linux-headers-$(uname -r)

It prompts me to insert the Debian disk to continue the installation.

Why is this so? I have used other Linux Distros and the default behavior seems to be to install from an internet repository.

How should I change the default repository location? i.e. configure online repo for Debian and offline one for Ubuntu?

Solution

Afaik you end up having no mirrors configured in your /etc/apt/sources.list if you skipped the corresponding questions during system setup. As already pointed out, you just have to edit your sources.list file, followed by apt-get update to update your local package index.

Comments

[sr_]

Check /etc/apt/sources.list and change the entries to point to some mirror. (See also man 5 sources.list)

[Benny Abramovici]

@sr_ You mean I need to configure the mirrors manually? But with yum install kernel-devel one doesn't need to do it. What is the difference here?

[sr_]

No please don't try to do this. Ideally, mirror setup is done on install. That said, editing sources.list is not hard, basic setups require 2 lines (link to the Wiki).

[Benny Abramovici]

@sr_ Perhaps you should've put in your suggestions as an answer so that I could select it. Or do you think you have too many points already? :-)