Why is my Internet ALways connected??

My Network card is NVIDIA nforce 10/100 Mbps ethernet built in to my board as in my signature below, and lately I have been noticing my Internet is always on when I am in a stall state.. In other words I am not cruising the Internet my two little computer screens in my task bar are both lit blue . BUT If I start up the PC the computer screens flash or talk to each other but then they stay on. if I go to the internet, as my network finds the internet it will flash on and off as it makes communication and then stays on full time..
fair enough, If I turn off my virus protection the computer screens are still lit blue..
This never happened before and I am wondering if I have something not turned on or off to achieve the fact that I would not like the PC to always be talking to the net.. It used to be the screens would be one on one, off until I activate the browser ( IE8) ..
Is IE 8 programed now to always report what you and your PC are doing at all times?? When I relax my typing and watch the screens they flash on and off and then still on as if they are reporting my last activity
When I alt/control/delete to see what is running I have nothing ...

ideas??

If you right-click on the network icon in the System Tray and select Status, you can see the number of packets sent and received. If those numbers steadily increase, you have something that is communicating across the network, and need to check into what it is.