Raspberry Pi kernel 6.18 silently drops legacy iptables modules, misleads users
Raspberry Pi's kernel version 6.18 deliberately omits three core legacy iptables modules — ip_tables.ko, iptable_nat.ko, and iptable_filter.ko — as part of a shift toward nftables. However, the shipped kernel config still lists CONFIG_IP_NF_IPTABLES=m, falsely suggesting the modules are built, because the actual controlling symbol was renamed to CONFIG_IP_NF_IPTABLES_LEGACY and left unset. When users switch to the legacy iptables backend, they receive an error advising them to upgrade their kernel — the very action that caused the breakage. Tools relying on legacy iptables, including WireGuard container scripts, Docker legacy-mode setups, and Waydroid, fail silently when attempting to write NAT rules. The fix is to use the nftables-based iptables frontend instead, though the error message never mentions nftables, sending users in the wrong direction.
This is an AI-generated summary. ShortSingh links to the original source for the complete article.

Discussion (0)
Log in to join the discussion and vote.
Log in