Im trying to get incoming and outgoing traffic to be enabled on specific ports, because I block everything at the end of the iptables rules. INPUT and FORWARD reject.

What would be the appropiate way to open certain ports for all traffic incoming and outgoing? From docs I found below but one has to really define both lines?

iptables -A INPUT -i eth0 -p tcp --dport 22 -m state --state NEW,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
iptables -A OUTPUT -o eth0 -p tcp --sport 22 -m state --state ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT

I try to open ports for xmpp service and some other deamons running on server.

Rules:

*filter

#  Allow all loopback (lo0) traffic and drop all traffic to 127/8 that doesn't use lo0
-A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -d 127.0.0.0/8 -j REJECT

#  Accept all established inbound connections
-A INPUT -m state --state ESTABLISHED,RELATED -j ACCEPT

#  Allow all outbound traffic - you can modify this to only allow certain traffic
-A OUTPUT -j ACCEPT

#  Allow HTTP 
#  Prevent DDOS attacks (http://blog.bodhizazen.net/linux/prevent-dos-with-iptables/)
#  Disallow HTTPS
-A INPUT -p tcp --dport 80 -m state --state NEW -m limit --limit 50/minute --limit-burst 200 -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -m state --state RELATED,ESTABLISHED -m limit --limit 50/second --limit-burst 50 -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -p tcp --dport 443 -j DROP

#  Allow SSH connections
#  The -dport number should be the same port number you set in sshd_config
-A INPUT -p tcp -s <myip> --dport ssh -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -p tcp -s <myip> --dport 5984 -j ACCEPT
-A INPUT -p tcp --dport ssh -j REJECT

# Attempt to block portscans
# Anyone who tried to portscan us is locked out for an entire day.
-A INPUT   -m recent --name portscan --rcheck --seconds 86400 -j DROP
-A FORWARD -m recent --name portscan --rcheck --seconds 86400 -j DROP

# Once the day has passed, remove them from the portscan list
-A INPUT   -m recent --name portscan --remove
-A FORWARD -m recent --name portscan --remove

# These rules add scanners to the portscan list, and log the attempt.
-A INPUT   -p tcp -m tcp --dport 139 -m recent --name portscan --set -j LOG --log-prefix "Portscan:"
-A INPUT   -p tcp -m tcp --dport 139 -m recent --name portscan --set -j DROP

-A FORWARD -p tcp -m tcp --dport 139 -m recent --name portscan --set -j LOG --log-prefix "Portscan:"
-A FORWARD -p tcp -m tcp --dport 139 -m recent --name portscan --set -j DROP


# Stop smurf attacks
-A INPUT -p icmp -m icmp --icmp-type address-mask-request -j DROP
-A INPUT -p icmp -m icmp --icmp-type timestamp-request -j DROP
-A INPUT -p icmp -m icmp -j DROP

# Drop excessive RST packets to avoid smurf attacks
-A INPUT -p tcp -m tcp --tcp-flags RST RST -m limit --limit 2/second --limit-burst 2 -j ACCEPT

# Don't allow pings through
-A INPUT -p icmp -m icmp --icmp-type 8 -j DROP



#  Log iptables denied calls
-A INPUT -m limit --limit 5/min -j LOG --log-prefix "iptables denied: " --log-level 7

#  Reject all other inbound - default deny unless explicitly allowed policy
-A INPUT -j REJECT
-A FORWARD -j REJECT

COMMIT