# ⚙️How to Auto-Load nftables Masquerade Rules at Boot with systemd Service👨‍🏭

To automatically load your **nftables masquerade rules** at boot, you need to create a **systemd service** that will apply the `/etc/nftables/nft-masquerade.nft` file when the system starts.

---

## 🛠️ Step 1: Create the Systemd Service

Open a terminal and create a new service file:

```plaintext
sudo nano /etc/systemd/system/nft-masquerade.service
```

Add the following content:

```plaintext
[Unit]
Description=Load nftables masquerade rules
After=network.target
Wants=network.target

[Service]
Type=oneshot
ExecStart=/usr/sbin/nft -f /etc/nftables/nft-masquerade.nft
RemainAfterExit=yes

[Install]
WantedBy=multi-user.target
```

---

## 🔄 Step 2: Reload Systemd & Enable the Service

Save the file (`CTRL+X`, then `Y`, then `ENTER`), then reload systemd to recognize the new service:

```plaintext
sudo systemctl daemon-reload
```

Enable the service so it starts automatically at boot:

```plaintext
sudo systemctl enable nft-masquerade.service
```

---

## 🚀 Step 3: Start & Verify

Manually start the service:

```plaintext
sudo systemctl start nft-masquerade.service
```

Check its status:

```plaintext
sudo systemctl status nft-masquerade.service
```

If everything is set up correctly, you should see **"Active: exited successfully"**. 🎉

---

## 🛠️ Step 4: Testing

To verify that the rules are applied, run:

```plaintext
sudo nft list ruleset
```

This should display your **nftables** rules, including the masquerading setup.

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✅ **Done!** Your nftables masquerade rules will now **automatically load** on boot using **systemd**. 🚀