A method for configuring a channel state information reference signal includes dividing access points into a first access point set and a second access point set, configuring a first CSI-RS pilot pattern for a user equipment and allocating the pattern to the first access point set, configuring a second CSI-RS pilot pattern and allocating the pattern to the second access point set, and configuring a third CSI-RS pilot pattern and allocating the pattern to an antenna set formed by a first antenna of a first access point in the first access point set and a first antenna of a first access point in the second access point set; and sending non-zero power CSI-RS configuration information to the user equipment, so that the user equipment measures and reports first downlink channel state information, second downlink channel state information, and third downlink channel state information of the antenna set.