In a forwarding fault location determining method, a controller receives a plurality of table search statistical results of a plurality of forwarding tables for a first service from one or more forwarders. The plurality of forwarding tables include a first forwarding table and a second forwarding table, and the first forwarding table is prior to the second forwarding table in terms of a search sequence. Subsequently, the controller determines that table search behavior of the first forwarding table for the first service is normal and table search behavior of the second forwarding table for the first service is abnormal. The controller determines, based on the determining result, that the second forwarding table is a faulty forwarding table for the first service.