How to Setup Local APT Repository Server On Ubuntu 24.04 Using apt-mirror
In today’s video, I will walk you through *how to set up a Local APT Repository Server on Ubuntu 24.04* using `apt-mirror`.
If you manage multiple Ubuntu systems, creating a local APT mirror helps you:
✔ Download packages once and share across many machines
✔ Speed up updates and installations
✔ Save internet bandwidth
✔ Run updates in offline or isolated networks
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🧰 *Prerequisites*
Ubuntu 24.04 server
At least *800GB* free space under `/var`
Stable internet connection
👉 All commands and files used in this tutorial are shared below.
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🛠️ *Steps Covered in This Tutorial*
*1️⃣ Install Required Packages*
sudo apt install apt-mirror apache2 -y
*2️⃣ Configure `apt-mirror`*
Edit the configuration file:
sudo vi /etc/apt/mirror.list
Customize parameters:
`defaultarch amd64`
`nthreads 20`
Add/remove `deb-src` based on storage availability
Mirror only necessary components (main, universe, multiverse, restricted)
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############# config ##################
set base_path /var/spool/apt-mirror
#
set mirror_path $base_path/mirror
set skel_path $base_path/skel
set var_path $base_path/var
set cleanscript $var_path/clean.sh
set defaultarch amd64
set postmirror_script $var_path/postmirror.sh
# set run_postmirror 0
set nthreads 20
set _tilde 0
#
############# end config ##############
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-security main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates main restricted universe multiverse
deb http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-security main restricted universe multiverse
#deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-proposed main restricted universe multiverse
#deb http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-backports main restricted universe multiverse
#deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble main restricted universe multiverse
#deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-security main restricted universe multiverse
#deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates main restricted universe multiverse
#deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-proposed main restricted universe multiverse
#deb-src http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-backports main restricted universe multiverse
clean http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
clean http://security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu
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*3️⃣ Start Mirroring Ubuntu Repositories*
Begin downloading all packages & metadata:
sudo apt-mirror
Recommended (runs even if session disconnects):
nohup sudo apt-mirror &
tail -f nohup.out
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*4️⃣ Serve the Mirror Using Apache*
Create symbolic links:
sudo ln -s /var/spool/apt-mirror/mirror/archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu /var/www/html/ubuntu
sudo ln -s /var/spool/apt-mirror/mirror/security.ubuntu.com/ubuntu /var/www/html/ubuntu-security
Restart Apache:
sudo systemctl restart apache2
Test the mirror:
http://SERVER-IP/ubuntu/dists/noble/
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*5️⃣ Automate Repository Sync with Cron*
sudo crontab -e
Add daily sync at 2 AM:
0 2 * * * /usr/bin/apt-mirror | tee /var/log/apt-mirror.log
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*6️⃣ Configure Client Machines*
Edit: /etc/apt/sources.list.d/ubuntu.sources
Add your local repo URL, then update:
sudo apt update
sudo apt install net-tools -y
Your client machines will now pull packages directly from the local mirror.
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