An apparatus for a distributed control system, comprising: a network interface configured to communicate with a network; and a wireless gateway coupled to the network interface, the wireless gateway having: a wireless gateway function block application process configured to map process information between a wireless network having at least one wireless field device and the network, a wireless gateway management component configured to manage access to the wireless network, and at least one wireless gateway function block application process configured to input and output process information of the wireless gateway, characterized by the wireless gateway function block application process comprising: a resource block configured to make the hardware specific characteristics of the wireless gateway accessible to the network; a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless gateway; and a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless gateway and provide respective process information to the function block, wherein each wireless field device that the wireless gateway supports is represented within the wireless gateway by a respective wireless field device function block application process comprising: a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless field device; and a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless field device and provide respective process information to the function block. a network interface configured to communicate with a network; and a wireless gateway coupled to the network interface, the wireless gateway having: a wireless gateway function block application process configured to map process information between a wireless network having at least one wireless field device and the network, a wireless gateway management component configured to manage access to the wireless network, and at least one wireless gateway function block application process configured to input and output process information of the wireless gateway, characterized by the wireless gateway function block application process comprising: a resource block configured to make the hardware specific characteristics of the wireless gateway accessible to the network; a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless gateway; and a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless gateway and provide respective process information to the function block, a wireless gateway function block application process configured to map process information between a wireless network having at least one wireless field device and the network, a wireless gateway management component configured to manage access to the wireless network, and at least one wireless gateway function block application process configured to input and output process information of the wireless gateway, characterized by the wireless gateway function block application process comprising: a resource block configured to make the hardware specific characteristics of the wireless gateway accessible to the network; a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless gateway; and a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless gateway and provide respective process information to the function block, a resource block configured to make the hardware specific characteristics of the wireless gateway accessible to the network; a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless gateway; and a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless gateway and provide respective process information to the function block, wherein each wireless field device that the wireless gateway supports is represented within the wireless gateway by a respective wireless field device function block application process comprising: a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless field device; and a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless field device and provide respective process information to the function block. a function block configured to define the input and output process information of the wireless field device; and a transducer block configured to command and read hardware components of the wireless field device and provide respective process information to the function block.