Ubuntu
iptables package

Not able to use iptables

Asked by dhwolfer

When I try to use the iptables command in LINUX, I get the following information:

:~$ iptables -L
FATAL: Error inserting ip_tables (/lib/modules/3.2.0-23-generic-pae/kernel/net/ipv4/netfilter/ip_tables.ko): Operation not permitted
iptables v1.4.12: can't initialize iptables table `filter': Table does not exist (do you need to insmod?)
Perhaps iptables or your kernel needs to be upgraded.

I am going through a tutorial in order to learn how to use the iptables command but I cannot learn how to use it if I cannot get it to work.

Why is it that Ubuntu does not install all the commands available to LINUX for the terminal? This is the second time I have re-installed Ubuntu and still commands like these do not work. This is really getting frustrating. I am a very tecky type of person and I am really getting frustrated with not being able to do things on LINUX that should be easy to do.

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Thomas Krüger (thkrueger) said : 		#1

Iptables has a kernel counterpart called "netfilter" it is not loaded into the kernel until you actually configure your firewall.
So, on the first interaction with it Ubuntu likes to load the proper modules into the kernel, which is onyl allowed for the system account "root".
You can elevate the rights you have whan you are a system administrator (see user settings), by adding "sudo" in front of your command. You will be asked for your password, it will not be shown while typing.

sudo iptables -L

P.S.: Ubuntu Linux is not Windows, it does not need to be reinstalled to fix problems.

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