A method for accessing a network by a terminal device by using a wireless means in the field of communications technologies, includes: receiving, by a resident node in a communications network, a first message from a terminal device, where the first message includes an authorization request; sending, by the resident node, a second message, where the second message is processed by a network node into a third message; and receiving, by the resident node, authorization result information from the network, and sending the authorization result information to the terminal device.