A method for protecting a user equipment includes: after sending a first request message for adjusting radio link configuration to a base station, monitoring a response message corresponding to the first request message in a first preset time period; determining a sending time for sending a second request message for adjusting the radio link configuration based on a monitoring result in the first preset time period; and sending the second request message at the sending time. This can avoid frequently sending a request message for adjusting a radio link configuration to a base station, reducing spectrum resource utilization and signaling burden of the network.