A backhaul path switching method, which is performed by a first wireless relay, the method comprising: determining, by the first wireless relay, that a first backhaul path currently used by a terminal is required to be switched, wherein at least the first backhaul path and a second backhaul path are pre-established for the terminal, each of the first backhaul path and the second backhaul path is from a network-side node to the terminal, the first wireless relay is a relay in the first backhaul path and the second backhaul path, and respective prior-hop relays or respective next-hop relays of the first wireless relay in the first backhaul path and the second backhaul path are different; switching a backhaul path currently used by the terminal from the first backhaul path to the second backhaul path, wherein determining that the first backhaul path currently used by the terminal is required to be switched comprises: detecting, by the first wireless relay, radio link failure between the first wireless relay and a second wireless relay, wherein the second wireless relay is a prior-hop relay or a next-hop relay of the first wireless relay in the first backhaul path; or receiving, by the first wireless relay, a notification message transmitted by the network-side node, wherein the notification message notifies the first wireless relay to switch the backhaul path currently used by the terminal, the method being further characterised by subsequent to detecting, by the first wireless relay, the radio link failure between the first wireless relay and the second wireless relay, the backhaul path switching method further comprises: transmitting, by the first wireless relay, indication information about the radio link failure to a neighbor relay. determining, by the first wireless relay, that a first backhaul path currently used by a terminal is required to be switched, wherein at least the first backhaul path and a second backhaul path are pre-established for the terminal, each of the first backhaul path and the second backhaul path is from a network-side node to the terminal, the first wireless relay is a relay in the first backhaul path and the second backhaul path, and respective prior-hop relays or respective next-hop relays of the first wireless relay in the first backhaul path and the second backhaul path are different; switching a backhaul path currently used by the terminal from the first backhaul path to the second backhaul path, wherein determining that the first backhaul path currently used by the terminal is required to be switched comprises: detecting, by the first wireless relay, radio link failure between the first wireless relay and a second wireless relay, wherein the second wireless relay is a prior-hop relay or a next-hop relay of the first wireless relay in the first backhaul path; or receiving, by the first wireless relay, a notification message transmitted by the network-side node, wherein the notification message notifies the first wireless relay to switch the backhaul path currently used by the terminal, the method being further characterised by subsequent to detecting, by the first wireless relay, the radio link failure between the first wireless relay and the second wireless relay, the backhaul path switching method further comprises: transmitting, by the first wireless relay, indication information about the radio link failure to a neighbor relay. detecting, by the first wireless relay, radio link failure between the first wireless relay and a second wireless relay, wherein the second wireless relay is a prior-hop relay or a next-hop relay of the first wireless relay in the first backhaul path; or receiving, by the first wireless relay, a notification message transmitted by the network-side node, wherein the notification message notifies the first wireless relay to switch the backhaul path currently used by the terminal, the method being further characterised by subsequent to detecting, by the first wireless relay, the radio link failure between the first wireless relay and the second wireless relay, the backhaul path switching method further comprises: transmitting, by the first wireless relay, indication information about the radio link failure to a neighbor relay.