I want to test some network performance, where I need to use a tcp client to connect to a tcp server program on the same host, so I used localhost(127.0.0.1) however, when the TCP SYN is sent, it get an RESET

12:04:27.550292 IP localhost.55047 > localhost.54000: Flags [S], seq 1451460422, win 43690, options [mss 65495,sackOK,TS val 2409691925 ecr 0,nop,wscale 7], length 0
12:04:27.550319 IP localhost.54000 > localhost.55047: Flags [R.], seq 0, ack 1451460423, win 0, length 0

I think the issue is the iptables rules.

from iptables-restore for INPUT, I have

    -A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -m conntrack --ctstate RELATED,ESTABLISHED -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -p icmp -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -i em1 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 54000 -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -i em1 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 51000 -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -i em1 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 30000 -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -i em1 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 54001 -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -i em1 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 30001 -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -i em1 -p udp -m udp --dport 54000 -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -i em1 -p tcp -m tcp --dport 80 -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -i em1 -p udp -m udp --dport 5000 -j ACCEPT
    -A INPUT -j INPUT_direct
    -A INPUT -j INPUT_ZONES

the related line is

     -A INPUT -i lo -j ACCEPT

from iptables --list, I have

    in INPUT (policy DROP)
    target     prot opt source               destination 
    ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere    
    ACCEPT     all  --  anywhere             anywhere             ctstate RELATED,ESTABLISHED
    ACCEPT     icmp --  anywhere             anywhere    
    ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:54000
    ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:51000
    ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:30000
    ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:54001
    ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:pago-services1
    ACCEPT     udp  --  anywhere             anywhere             udp dpt:54000
    ACCEPT     tcp  --  anywhere             anywhere             tcp dpt:http
    ACCEPT     udp  --  anywhere             anywhere             udp dpt:commplex-main
    INPUT_direct  all  --  anywhere             anywhere            

there is no network interface involved (BTW, for this line: ACCEPT all -- anywhere anywhere, what does it mean? it accept all protocol and all ports? )

so what can I modify to allow any traffic related to loopback interface lo? thanks!