This application provides a data transmission link establishment apparatus. The apparatus includes: a selection unit, configured to select a target node; a determining unit, configured to determine a backhaul node that needs to establish a data transmission link with the target node selected by the selection unit; a setting unit, configured to set protocol stack roles, in the data transmission link, of the target node and the backhaul node that is determined by the determining unit; and a configuration unit, configured to perform configuration on the target node and the backhaul node according to the protocol stack roles that are set by the setting unit, to establish the data transmission link between the target node and the backhaul node.