Patent attributes
A method includes: setting up, by a first network device, a MACSec channel to a second network device according to the MACSec protocol; and sending, by the first network device, an ACP packet to the second network device by using the MACSec channel, where the ACP packet is carried in a MACSec frame, and a frame header of the MACSec frame carries identification information used to identify the ACP packet. By means of the packet transmission method, a MACSec channel is set up between adjacent nodes in a self-organizing network according to the MACSec protocol, and an ACP packet is transmitted between the adjacent nodes by using the MACSec channel and processed.