Boost Arch Linux Download Speeds with Reflector: A Mirror Optimization Guide

#arch linux #reflector #optimization #system administration #pacman

Why Reflector Matters

Without proper mirror management, you might be stuck with:

  • Slow download speeds from distant mirrors
  • Out-of-date repositories causing failed updates
  • Inconsistent connection quality

Reflector solves this by automatically:

  1. Fetching latest mirror status
  2. Testing connection speeds
  3. Generating an optimized /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

Installation

sudo pacman -S reflector

Basic Setup: Generate Optimized Mirrorlist

1. Backup current mirrors

sudo cp /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist.backup

2. Generate new mirrorlist

sudo reflector --protocol https --latest 40 --sort rate --save /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist

Flag Breakdown:

  • --protocol https: Secure connections only
  • --latest 20: Use 20 most recently synced mirrors
  • --save: Write to mirrorlist

Verification & Testing

Check Mirror Performance

Install the rankmirros AUR package. Read more: Manual AUR Package Install

rankmirrors -n 0 /etc/pacman.d/mirrorlist