Im getting sick learning to set iptables rules via command. its confusing, its annoying and its dangerous.

Is there any gui tool to to assist in this?

Maybe software (preferably windows software) that can ssh to remote server, read my iptables config and translate it to gui on local machine.
then allow me to work on whatever I want, and finally translate and compile whatever change I made into set of ssh command that the softawre will automatically push to remote server.

I found this software Firewall Builder, that does almost exactly what I want ; minus ability to talk to remote server to atuomatically import current config.


If there are no such thing, can you recommend me a good webui for iptables?

guess u can try webmin - http://doxfer.webmin.com/Webmin/Linux_Firewall

I use Shorewall to configure iptables. Iptables is close to unreadable most of the time.

Thanks.

I tried to install webmin like year ago but somehow it mysteriously refuse to receive incoming connection although I even set the firewall to just allow everything.
Should try again now with updated distro.

This one got web gui? I read the documentation but it never mention any web ui
Im using it on remote server.

Actually opensuse got ncurses gui firewall (opensuse-firewall) but it kind of overly gui that configuring less common rules is just even more jarring than iptables.

No web gui. But you can use SSH to reconfigure it. Thats what I do for all my remote firewalls and VPN servers. Just remember to switch to a key-based authentication system for SSH instead of a password if using remote access


Edit: I was wrong. There is a webmin module for shorewall ( There is a webmin module for everything). Copy of webmin module (from Debian site) is here

This post has been edited by farkinid: Apr 9 2015, 07:50 AM

Yes, managing iptables rules through a graphical user interface (GUI) can be more user-friendly and less error-prone.

While there might not be a tool that perfectly matches your requirements, there are options available that can help simplify iptables management:

1. WebUI for iptables:
• Webmin: Webmin is a web-based system configuration tool that includes a module for managing iptables rules through a GUI. It’s not Windows software, but you can access it through a web browser on any platform.

• CSF (ConfigServer Security & Firewall): CSF is a popular firewall management tool that offers a web-based interface for configuring iptables rules. It’s designed to be installed on Linux servers and provides an easier way to manage firewall settings.

2. Firewall Builder:
• While Firewall Builder might not have the exact remote import feature you mentioned, it’s a powerful GUI tool for iptables configuration. You could consider manually exporting the iptables configuration from your remote server and then importing it into Firewall Builder for further management.

3. Other Options:
• Some cloud hosting providers offer web-based firewall management as part of their services. For example, AWS provides the AWS Management Console with security group management.

If you’re looking for a solution that can automate pushing iptables rules to a remote server, you might need to develop a custom script or use configuration management tools like Ansible, Puppet, or Chef.

While GUI tools can simplify the process, having a solid understanding of iptables and firewall concepts is still important to ensure the security of your system.

Please exercise caution when making changes to firewall rules, regardless of whether you’re using a GUI or command-line interface.