iptables

[av8or]

I'm running RedHat 7.3 on a dual processor system. I'm wondering if IPTABLES is compiled into the kernel upon install or do I need to recompile? How can I find out if it's already compiled into my kernel?

[godot]

well, iptables is a binary program that needs to be installed. what you need on your computer related to the kernel are the netfilter modules, look in /lib/modules/2.4.x/kernel/net/ipv4/netfilter/ and see if there are a lot of modules in there.

[sharth]

another wasy way is to run iptables -F

that will flush all the rules in your iptables. if it allows the action then it works, if it doesnt then it will say that iptables is not compiled into your kernel

As another note, you need a 2.4.x kernel to run iptables. 2.4.x is ipchains. and i believe that 2.0.x is ipfw?

[N0RKX]

ipchains is 2.2.x.

[flav2000]

ipchains is 2.2.x

If you're familiar with ipchains, you can still use it under RH 7.3. I use ipchains myself.

In RH 7.3, the kernel starts up looking for the ipchains rules file. If it finds one it'll run ipchains first. If a configuration files is not found, then it uses iptable's configuration file.

So, in the end, if you end up running iptables, make sure you don't leave a rules file for ipchains - or else you're leaving yourself to strange problems and whatever vulnerabilities you've set open in the ipchains rules file

[sharth]

meant to say that. stupid typo :) I raelly should reread what I type more often.

[war]

you could always download and complie the new rls of IPTABLES 1.2.7a

http://www.iptables.org

if you want to run iptables instead of ipchains (which i've read over and over that iptables is MUCH better)

then you can kill the startup of ipchains (can even get more drastic and del the binary)

then have iptables startup and create your ruleset.