Any ideas about apt-get failing?

[Marc Singer <elf@buici.com>]

My system installed OK.  I can ftp using the ftp client.  apt-get
hangs while attempting to download from the package server.  I've
pointed it at ftp and http servers.  I've configured it to use my
local mirror and separately the US site.  No dice.

Also, it takes a long time for the first packets to get through after
then machine boots.  I've tested this using 

  ping -c 1

and found that it takes several seconds, ten or so, before the first
successful ICMP packet returns.  Many fail before one succeeds.