A switch includes: a packet buffer including a plurality of segments for temporarily storing a packet to be relayed, using a segment of a fixed size as a unit of management of a storage area; an input processor configured to receive a packet to be relayed from an external source, refer to an offset, indicating a location in a segment where a free area starts, store a first packet, starting at the location in the segment indicated by the offset, update the location of start indicated by the offset in accordance with the packet size, and store a second packet, starting at the location of start in the segment thus updated; and an output processor configured to read the first and second packets and send the packets to a communication node.