Installer doesn't support corporate firewalls

Alternative workaround is to add proxy configuration to apt, e.g. /target/etc/apt/apt.conf

Acquire::http::Proxy "http://yourproxyaddress:proxyport";

Then after the next timeout round the configuration will be re-read and the proxy used. Just had this experience with the Ubuntu 7.10 RC installer.

I agree completely with this bug report. The solution is ok, but this bug floats around since ages.
Either a "skip step" button should be provided or the proxy should be easier configurable during installation as suggested by StevenMcCoy.

This reminds me of the annoying inability of configuring proxies via GUI in kubuntu. I thought we were trying to develop something for users and enterprises here, and enterprises have proxies.

I would also like to point out that the work around of adding Acquire::http::Proxy "http://yourproxyaddress:proxyport";
to the apt.conf file does not work since the installer is hanging when it tries to determine the mirror to use prior to running apt. The only way I have been able to get it to work is to set the http_proxy environment variable and run it from the cl. Then you need to add the apt.conf changes to enable apt to work for updates etc.

Maybe the importance should be increased. This is a major bug for every corporate user behind a firewall/proxy. I looks a tad unprofessional if a status bar quickly rises to 82 % and then gets stuck for 10 minutes. I tried unplugging my network cable in kubuntu hardy alpha and this time this did not even help. It is only the installation but, going through all these nice and easy steps (I do not like the country selection but lets not change subject here) and then being faced by this cryptic "freeze"..well it just spoils the whole experience.
Wish I could code :-( or 10 years younger to start learning it.

This bug was fixed in the package ubiquity - 1.7.7

---------------
ubiquity (1.7.7) hardy; urgency=low

  [ Mario Limonciello ]
  * Add ubiquity-frontend-mythbuntu.links to source exterior glade files.
  * Add temporary workaround to allow Mythbuntu installs on low res
    displays.
  * Fix case when no themes are removed.

  [ Colin Watson ]
  * Prevent apt-install from installing packages directly unless
    install_extras has been run (previously, it would do so once apt was
    configured, which produced some confusing error messages).
  * Call apt-setup finish-install script during cleanup, not while
    configuring apt; removing cdrom entries from sources.list at this point
    broke OEM installs and probably other things (LP: #188240).
  * Fetch http_proxy and no_proxy from gconf (if possible) immediately
    before configuring apt.
  * Update installed file list for apt-setup 1:0.31ubuntu3.
  * GTK frontend:
    - Add proxy configuration to the advanced dialog (LP: #131421).
  * Import DebconfError correctly in summary component (thanks, Jesus L.
    Alvaro; LP: #177442).
  * Build-depend on dctrl-tools rather than grep-dctrl.

  [ Evan Dandrea ]
  * Validate the boot device string that the user provides on the
    advanced page.
  * Change the boot device Entry to a ComboBox that displays suitable targets.
  * Updated the location of gnome-settings-daemon in ubiquity-dm.
  * Fix the installer window appearing briefly when starting automatic mode.
  * Explicitly call GDM/KDM at the end of ubiquity-dm as we now remove the rc
    files in casper for only-ubiquity and automatic-ubiquity.
  * Always show the advanced partitioner buttons, greying them out
    conditionally instead of hiding them.
  * Add the progress bar for automatic mode that was already present in
    gtk_ui to kde_ui.
  * Replace the resize slider with a custom widget in gtk_ui.
  * Automatic update of included source packages: apt-setup
    1:0.31ubuntu5, grub-installer 1.27ubuntu5, hw-detect 1.58ubuntu2,
    partman-partitioning 54ubuntu2.

  [ Agostino Russo ]
  * Added debug mode boot parameter

 -- Evan Dandrea <email address hidden> Wed, 13 Feb 2008 15:03:15 -0500