Aptitude installation

[oransky]

I am trying to install gcc and it cannot access ftp.debian.org to install the 
package.  I am using aptitude to do this.  I cannot ping ftp.debian.org, so the 
server appears  inaccessible.  Is there a different mirror site I can install 
packages from?  If so, how do I tell aptitude to install from that site?
   
  Jeff