A communication method is provided. In embodiments of this application, first fault information is obtained by using a first port, and second fault information is sent based on the first fault information by using a second port. The first port is a first-type port, the first-type port transmits information according to a standard Ethernet protocol, the first fault information is first-type fault information, the second port is a second-type port, the second-type port transmits information according to a flexible Ethernet protocol, the first-type fault information includes at least one of local fault information and remote fault information, the second fault information is second-type fault information, and the second-type fault information is used to indicate that a link corresponding to the standard Ethernet protocol is faulty.