Embodiments of the present invention provide a method for retransmission based on forward error correction. The method includes: when received source data packets loss occurs, judging whether all of the lost source data payloads can be decoded by using the received source data payloads and check data; if all of the lost source data payloads cannot be decoded, determining needed source data symbols for decoding all of the lost source data payloads by using the received source data payloads and the check data; and requesting for retransmitting the needed source data symbols.