The two Internet and Wi-Fi lights on my modem flicker for 30 seconds during startup, and intermittently during every session even when I am not using the keyboard or mouse. This activity seems much more than my email program (Mailbird) needs (I get only a few messages per day and seldom get an attachment).
So why all this activity please? Thanks.
If all programs are closed you will still get some "polling" of your Internet connection, only way to stop it is to unplug the Ethernet cable to the Modem or Router or turn off the Wi-Fi if that is what is in use. Or turn off the Modem or Router.
Lots of things. Have you turned off all the live tiles on your Start menu? If not, you have give them implicit authority to check the internet at start up - the Weather and News tiles, for example.
What Apps have you allowed to run in the background? By default it's all of them.
Settings > Privacy > Background apps
Then there's Windows Update that automatically checks for updates, which includes automatically updating Defender definitions.
Task Manager should be able to show you what activities are occurring.
Task Manager - Open in Windows 10
It also may not mean "Converses with the internet" but with other network device like modem or router. Specially so with WiFi connection. Just like mobile phones it needs to stay in touch and tell it that it's still "alive" and ready to work with it.
My Task Manager shows how much is running in the background, so its not surprising that many keep in touch with the Internet (as others have said).
Thanks for the explanations.
download wireshark and find out what queries are being sent/received over your network.
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