A negotiation mode processing method, comprising: determining, by an independent network device, that a first physical layer, PHY, located in the independent network device receives a first auto-negotiation configuration stream sent by a first network device connected to the first PHY, wherein the first auto-negotiation configuration stream, which is a first /C/ code, is used to indicate that a negotiation mode of the first network device sending the first auto-negotiation configuration stream is an auto-negotiation mode; changing, by the independent network device, a negotiation mode of a second PHY also located in the independent network device from a non-auto-negotiation mode to the auto-negotiation mode according to the first auto-negotiation configuration stream received by the first PHY; and after determining that the negotiation mode of the second PHY is changed to the auto-negotiation mode, sending, by the independent network device, a second auto-negotiation configuration stream, which is a second /C/ code, to a second network device connected to the second PHY, and when receiving a third auto-negotiation configuration stream, which is a third /C/ code, fed back by the second network device, changing a negotiation mode of the first PHY from the non-auto-negotiation mode to the auto-negotiation mode, wherein the second auto-negotiation configuration stream is used to indicate that the negotiation mode of the second PHY is changed from the non-auto-negotiation mode to the auto-negotiation mode, the third auto-negotiation configuration stream is used to indicate that a negotiation mode of the second network device sending the first auto-negotiation configuration stream is an auto-negotiation mode. determining, by an independent network device, that a first physical layer, PHY, located in the independent network device receives a first auto-negotiation configuration stream sent by a first network device connected to the first PHY, wherein the first auto-negotiation configuration stream, which is a first /C/ code, is used to indicate that a negotiation mode of the first network device sending the first auto-negotiation configuration stream is an auto-negotiation mode; changing, by the independent network device, a negotiation mode of a second PHY also located in the independent network device from a non-auto-negotiation mode to the auto-negotiation mode according to the first auto-negotiation configuration stream received by the first PHY; and after determining that the negotiation mode of the second PHY is changed to the auto-negotiation mode, sending, by the independent network device, a second auto-negotiation configuration stream, which is a second /C/ code, to a second network device connected to the second PHY, and when receiving a third auto-negotiation configuration stream, which is a third /C/ code, fed back by the second network device, changing a negotiation mode of the first PHY from the non-auto-negotiation mode to the auto-negotiation mode, wherein the second auto-negotiation configuration stream is used to indicate that the negotiation mode of the second PHY is changed from the non-auto-negotiation mode to the auto-negotiation mode, the third auto-negotiation configuration stream is used to indicate that a negotiation mode of the second network device sending the first auto-negotiation configuration stream is an auto-negotiation mode.