A method for operating a wireless messaging system, the messaging system being configured to comprise a plurality of mobile wireless clients (1, 1', 1''), a core messaging system (7) and at least two gateway processes or gateways (5, 5', 5'') acting as proxies on behalf of the clients (1, 1', 1''), the method comprising, in order for a client (1) to establish a connection with one of the gateways (5, 5', 5''), a two phase connect procedure with the steps of, the client (1) maintaining a list of access points, each access point defining an address at one of the gateways (5, 5', 5''); the client (1) sending, over a wireless bearer (4, 4', 4''), a phase one connection request to one of the access points; the gateway (5, 5', 5'') that is addressed by the phase one connection request, sending, in response to the phase one connection request, over a wireless bearer (4, 4', 4''), a list of connect points to the client (1), each connect point defining an address at one of the gateways (5, 5', 5''); the client (1) sending, over a wireless bearer (4, 4', 4''), a phase two connection request to at least one of the connect points; and the gateway (5, 5', 5'') that is addressed by the phase two connection request responding to the phase two connection request, and the client (1) establishing a connection with the gateway (5, 5', 5'') specified by said connect point.