A method of operating via a smart card an access gateway between a local area network and a wide area network under the control of a management system includes the steps of providing in the smart card at least a first memory area containing configuration data for access to the wide area network that cannot be modified by the user and a second memory area adapted for storing personalized configuration data of the user, and providing in the access gateway a third memory area and storing the contents of the second memory area of the smart card in the third memory area.