---
name: "ipmasq"
section: "8"
platform: "linux"
package: "ipmasq"
version: "4.0.8-2"
release: "Debian 4.0 (Etch)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ipmasq"
---

# ipmasq(8)

set up IP Masquerading

## NAME

ipmasq - set up IP Masquerading

## SYNOPSIS

**ipmasq \[-dbngrhv\]**

## DESCRIPTION

This manual page very briefly documents the **ipmasq** command.

**ipmasq** sets up IP Masquerading firewall rules using the **ipfwadm**, **ipchains** or  **iptables** command, depending on the kernel version.

**ipmasq** understands the following options:

- **-v**, **--verbose**

  Display the  [**ipfwadm**(8)](/ipfwadm/8.md) or [**ipchains**(8)](/ipchains/8.md) commands that will be run.

- **-n**, **--no-act**

  Do not change any firewall rules.

- **-d**, **--display**

  Shorthand for *--verbose --no-act* .

- **-g**, **--debug**

  Display the names of the rules files as they are being executed.

- **-r**

  *rules-dir*, **--rules** *rules-dir* Use the rules files found in *rules-dir* instead of */etc/ipmasq/rules* .

- **-V**, **--version**

  Print the version of the ipmasq package to the standard output and exit.

- **-h**, **--help**

  Print a help message to the standard output and exit.

## CAVEATS

**ipmasq** "takes over" the firewall rules table.  To add firewall rules such that  they will survive a refresh of the rules table, add them a file in the  */etc/ipmasq/rules* directory with a *.rul* extension.  See [**ipmasq-rule**(5)](/ipmasq-rule/5.md).

## FILES

*/etc/ipmasq/rules/\*.{rul,def}*

Rules files.  See [**ipmasq-rule**(5)](/ipmasq-rule/5.md).

*/etc/ipmasq/ppp*

Empty file, which if present, gives ipmasq permission to automatically refresh the rules table automatically when pppd brings a link up or down.

*/etc/ipmasq.rules*

Deprecated.  Additional rules to apply after the default rules.  Deprecated.  Use a *.rul* file in */etc/ipmasq/rules* instead.

## SEE ALSO

[**ipmasq-kmod**(8)](/ipmasq-kmod/8.md), [**ipfwadm**(8)](/ipfwadm/8.md), [**ipchains**(8)](/ipchains/8.md), [**ipofif**(8)](/ipofif/8.md), [**nmofif**(8)](/nmofif/8.md), [**peerofif**(8)](/peerofif/8.md), [**default-if**(8)](/default-if/8.md), [**enumerate-if**(8)](/enumerate-if/8.md), [**ipmasq-rule**(5)](/ipmasq-rule/5.md)

## AUTHOR

This manual page was written by Brian Bassett \<brianb@debian.org\>, for the Debian GNU/Linux system (but may be used by others).