Keep Macbook pro always connected to wifi unless specified not to.

I have my early 2011 MacBook Pro running Mavericks set to never sleep, but let the display sleep so that I can keep connected to wifi for my Remote Desktop app on my iPad. Why is it that it still goes to sleep and disconnects ffrom the internet? I don't want to burn up my display by leaving it on all the time... But I want to keep it connected to wifi so I can use SplashTop 2 on my iPad.