A network identification system for use in a process control system creates and stores a unique network identification tag for input/output networks in the process control system. During the configuration process, each process controller is assigned a unique controller identification tag. In addition, each input/output device installed on each process controller is assigned a device identification tag. The network identification system creates a network identification tag for an input/output network by concatenating and combining the unique controller identification tag and the device identification tag. The network identification system may be configured to periodically transmit the network identification tag or to provide the network identification tag is response to a request for identification.