how iptables masquerade works

[sajjad81]

Hi, I have setup my linux box for masquerading following IP masquerading instructions (http://tldp.org/HOWTO/IP-Masquerade-HOWTO/). When the machine starts up the scripts with the rules runs, but I don't see IPTABLES running as a daemon. Can someone kindly explain how masquerade works and if IPTABLES is not running, how does the rules get applied? does iptables runs once to put the rules in kernel? another question is why would you run iptables as a daemon?

Thanks much.

[cyberinstru]

You could find some answers here: http://www.netfilter.org/documentati...umentation-faq

It is actually a part of ip_conntrack module of the kernel.

It works with kernel's skbs to enforce filtering.