An example communication method includes a session management function (SMF) network element receiving a first application request requesting a service of a 5G virtual network (5GVN) for a first LAN in a data network. The first application request carries address segment information of the first LAN, information about a target group, and interface information of a first tunnel interface of a first local switch (LSW) in the first LAN. The SMF network element determines a first user plane function (UPF) network element that provides the service of the 5GVN and sends first routing information to the first UPF network element, where the first routing information indicates the first UPF network element to forward received first data to the first tunnel interface when a destination address of the first data is any address included in the address segment information of the first LAN.