This application discloses a communication method and an apparatus. In a solution of this application, a base station sends, by using dedicated signaling, at least one random access parameter set to a terminal in a connected mode or an inactive mode. The base station receives a random access request of the terminal in a connected mode or an inactive mode. One of the at least one random access parameter set is used in the random access request. In this application, differentiated random access processes may be performed in different scenarios.