The present invention pertains to a method and device for automatically configuring a virtual circuit (VC) of a Customer Premises Equipment (CPE) device and linking it to a software interface. In one embodiment, the CPE device configures its VC by obtaining a virtual path identifier (VPI) and virtual circuit identifier (VCI) from a first traffic bearing cell and linking its new VC to a protocol. In another embodiment, the method comprises receiving a cell and checks the cell to determine if it is of a particular type bearing a VPI and a VCI corresponding to the VC. Such types of cells may be used for self auto-configuration because they contain the information necessary to accomplish the self auto-configuration.