A field device I/O connector for connecting a field device to a process control network, the field device I/O connector comprising: a base and an I/O module removably attached to the base; a set of electrical connectors mounted on the base, the set of electrical connectors being connectable with field wires extending from the field device to carry I/O signals between the field device I/O connector and the field device, the set of electrical connectors comprising one or more electrical connectors; the set of electrical connectors and the base defining a base I/O channel portion extending from the set of electrical connectors, and the I/O module comprising a module I/O channel portion, the base I/O channel portion and the module I/O channel portion being electrically connected to one another and together forming an I/O channel when the I/O module is attached to the base, the base I/O channel portion comprising a conversion circuit being configured to convert between I/O signals and signals utilizing a digital data format used by the process control network; and the base comprising a digital data circuit and a network port, the digital data circuit connected to the base I/O channel portion and being configured to transfer digital data received from the conversion circuit to the network port, the network port being configured to be attachable to the process control network and to transmit data received from the digital data circuit to the process control network when the network port is attached to the process control network; characterized by the base and the I/O module cooperatively defining a diagnostic circuit electrically connected to the module I/O channel portion, the diagnostic circuit being configured to generate diagnostic data concerning the operating state or operational history of the I/O channel, I/O channel circuit components, or the field device attached to the I/O channel when the field device I/O connector is connecting the field device to the process control network; the diagnostic circuit being connected to a diagnostic logic circuit being configured to extract the diagnostic data in a digital data format from the diagnostic circuit; the digital data circuit being connected to the diagnostic logic circuit and being configured to transfer the diagnostic data extracted by the diagnostic logic circuit to the network port; and the base comprising the diagnostic logic circuit. a base and an I/O module removably attached to the base; a set of electrical connectors mounted on the base, the set of electrical connectors being connectable with field wires extending from the field device to carry I/O signals between the field device I/O connector and the field device, the set of electrical connectors comprising one or more electrical connectors; the set of electrical connectors and the base defining a base I/O channel portion extending from the set of electrical connectors, and the I/O module comprising a module I/O channel portion, the base I/O channel portion and the module I/O channel portion being electrically connected to one another and together forming an I/O channel when the I/O module is attached to the base, the base I/O channel portion comprising a conversion circuit being configured to convert between I/O signals and signals utilizing a digital data format used by the process control network; and the base comprising a digital data circuit and a network port, the digital data circuit connected to the base I/O channel portion and being configured to transfer digital data received from the conversion circuit to the network port, the network port being configured to be attachable to the process control network and to transmit data received from the digital data circuit to the process control network when the network port is attached to the process control network; characterized by the base and the I/O module cooperatively defining a diagnostic circuit electrically connected to the module I/O channel portion, the diagnostic circuit being configured to generate diagnostic data concerning the operating state or operational history of the I/O channel, I/O channel circuit components, or the field device attached to the I/O channel when the field device I/O connector is connecting the field device to the process control network; the diagnostic circuit being connected to a diagnostic logic circuit being configured to extract the diagnostic data in a digital data format from the diagnostic circuit; the digital data circuit being connected to the diagnostic logic circuit and being configured to transfer the diagnostic data extracted by the diagnostic logic circuit to the network port; and the base comprising the diagnostic logic circuit. the base and the I/O module cooperatively defining a diagnostic circuit electrically connected to the module I/O channel portion, the diagnostic circuit being configured to generate diagnostic data concerning the operating state or operational history of the I/O channel, I/O channel circuit components, or the field device attached to the I/O channel when the field device I/O connector is connecting the field device to the process control network; the diagnostic circuit being connected to a diagnostic logic circuit being configured to extract the diagnostic data in a digital data format from the diagnostic circuit; the digital data circuit being connected to the diagnostic logic circuit and being configured to transfer the diagnostic data extracted by the diagnostic logic circuit to the network port; and the base comprising the diagnostic logic circuit.