ok this may sound like a silly question but where do I put the script?? I'm running 7.3 RedHat and before I used to just write the script in a file and then copy & paste it into a command line for the initial creation and then use the iptables-save to /etc/sysconfig/iptables which worked fine for it to be loaded on a reboot. Now I have a larger, more complex rule set I thought I'd finall write a script for it but I've only got a slight understanding of the start up process. Do I need to put the script in the /etc/rc.d/init.d/ directory and then create the startup/kill links in the /etc/rcX.d/ directories by hand or can I just put a: # chkconfig: 2345 <one above iptables start number> <one below iptables kill number> Could I change the line: IPTABLES_CONFIG=/etc/sysconfig/iptables in /etc/rc.d/init.d/iptables script to my script? I'm assuming though it would have to be in the format of the iptables-save command so wouldn't work? I have looked around the place and previous posts but have never seen this mentioned. Or am I way of the mark? :o) cheers Zander