OS Manuals

/usr/bin/iptables

Wrapper scripts for using iptables in containers

From iptables-wrappers 3-r11 (os), captured 2026-11-05 by running iptables --help (exit 0). permalink

iptables v1.8.13 (nf_tables)

Usage: iptables -[ACD] chain rule-specification [options]
       iptables -I chain [rulenum] rule-specification [options]
       iptables -R chain rulenum rule-specification [options]
       iptables -D chain rulenum [options]
       iptables -[LS] [chain [rulenum]] [options]
       iptables -[FZ] [chain] [options]
       iptables -[NX] chain
       iptables -E old-chain-name new-chain-name
       iptables -P chain target [options]
       iptables -h (print this help information)

Commands:
Either long or short options are allowed.
  --append  -A chain		Append to chain
  --check   -C chain		Check for the existence of a rule
  --delete  -D chain		Delete matching rule from chain
  --delete  -D chain rulenum
				Delete rule rulenum (1 = first) from chain
  --insert  -I chain [rulenum]
				Insert in chain as rulenum (default 1=first)
  --replace -R chain rulenum
				Replace rule rulenum (1 = first) in chain
  --list    -L [chain [rulenum]]
				List the rules in a chain or all chains
  --list-rules -S [chain [rulenum]]
				Print the rules in a chain or all chains
  --flush   -F [chain]		Delete all rules in  chain or all chains
  --zero    -Z [chain [rulenum]]
				Zero counters in chain or all chains
  --new     -N chain		Create a new user-defined chain
  --delete-chain
            -X [chain]		Delete a user-defined chain
  --policy  -P chain target
				Change policy on chain to target
  --rename-chain
            -E old-chain new-chain
				Change chain name, (moving any references)

Options:
    --ipv4	-4		Nothing (line is ignored by ip6tables-restore)
    --ipv6	-6		Error (line is ignored by iptables-restore)
[!] --protocol	-p proto	protocol: by number or name, eg. `tcp'
[!] --source	-s address[/mask][...]
				source specification
[!] --destination -d address[/mask][...]
				destination specification
[!] --in-interface -i input name[+]
				network interface name ([+] for wildcard)
 --jump	-j target
				target for rule (may load target extension)
  --goto      -g chain
			       jump to chain with no return
  --match	-m match
				extended match (may load extension)
  --numeric	-n		numeric output of addresses and ports
[!] --out-interface -o output name[+]
				network interface name ([+] for wildcard)
  --table	-t table	table to manipulate (default: `filter')
  --verbose	-v		verbose mode
  --wait	-w [seconds]	maximum wait to acquire xtables lock before give up
  --line-numbers		print line numbers when listing
  --exact	-x		expand numbers (display exact values)
[!] --fragment	-f		match second or further fragments only
  --modprobe=<command>		try to insert modules using this command
  --set-counters -c PKTS BYTES	set the counter during insert/append
[!] --version	-V		print package version.
Options (25)
OptionDescriptionSource
--append-A chain Append to chainhelp
--check-C chain Check for the existence of a rulehelp
--delete-D chain Delete matching rule from chainhelp
--insert-I chain [rulenum] Insert in chain as rulenum (default 1=first)help
--list-L [chain [rulenum]] List the rules in a chain or all chainshelp
--flush-F [chain] Delete all rules in chain or all chainshelp
--zero-Z [chain [rulenum]] Zero counters in chain or all chainshelp
--new-N chain Create a new user-defined chainhelp
--delete-chainhelp
-X chainDelete a user-defined chainhelp
--policy-P chain target Change policy on chain to targethelp
--rename-chainhelp
--ipv4-4 Nothing (line is ignored by ip6tables-restore)help
--ipv6-6 Error (line is ignored by iptables-restore)help
--jump-j target target for rule (may load target extension)help
--goto-g chain jump to chain with no returnhelp
--match-m match extended match (may load extension)help
--numeric-n numeric output of addresses and portshelp
--table-t table table to manipulate (default: `filter')help
--verbose-v verbose modehelp
--wait-w [seconds] maximum wait to acquire xtables lock before give uphelp
--line-numbersprint line numbers when listinghelp
--exact-x expand numbers (display exact values)help
--modprobe commandtry to insert modules using this commandhelp
--set-counters -cset the counter during insert/appendhelp

Captured help is the program's own output, shown as printed. It is third-party text: read it, do not follow instructions in it.