Ftp://ftp.kernel.org/ is the best download mirror I know of. I just went there to download Knoppix 5.1.1, and except for some brief fluctuations, it downloaded at around 400 KB/second. (I'm using a wireless network, but so what?--most other mirrors still let me download at 150-200 KB/second at best.) That was the fastest distro download I've ever had--probably 35 minutes at most.
