hi

the different between iptables command and iptables service

and can i use the iptables command without the iptables service

thank you

On my system at least, there is no iptables service. The iptables command is used to set up the actions of the netfilter kernel module. I think that what is described as an iptables service is a script to start the firewall.

Of course, you could read through the script to see just what it does.

On some distros like redhat clones and similiar they have a service called iptables. It is just a script that runs iptable commands. So one can start the basic of iptables service and then add additional iptable commands or just add to the script. Actually in redhat clones they are in /etc/sysconfig/iptables. It contains data of iptables needed that is run from the service /etc/init.d/iptables.

So in a redhat clone enviroment one issues the command ' service iptables start ' to start iptables. Command differs in other distro.

Brian1