Keep ethernet connection live during screen sleep I have a MacBookPro running OS X 10.8.5.

My understanding is Control ⌃+Shift ⇧+Eject ⏏ puts the Mac into a sleep mode. This is fine but what I want to know if there is a way to keep the ethernet port active while in this mode?

When I come out of this mode, I notice I am signed out of my messaging, disconnected from VM's I have running, etc... The connection comes back right away but I want to prevent the connection disruption.

I was also looking at this answer to "Equivalent of Win-L on Mac" which I really like as well. But again, it turns off the ethernet which I don't want to happen.
Control+Shift+Power …or… Control+Shift+Eject turns off the monitor without putting the computer in sleep mode.