Embodiments of the present invention disclose a method and an apparatus for communication between a home gateway and a cloud server. The cloud server has a home gateway software running unit, and various software modules are arranged in the home gateway software running unit. The method includes the following: The cloud server establishes a data communication channel with the home gateway through a TCP/IP protocol, where a terminal is connected to the home gateway through a short-distance communication protocol; and the home gateway software running unit sends a first software message to the home gateway through the data communication channel so that the home gateway forwards the first software message to a first terminal to which the first software message is directed; or the home gateway software running unit receives a second software message from the home gateway through the data communication channel.