Uh… these remotes connect to Logitech servers so they can get infrared codes and button configurations for new devices from Logitech’s (constantly updated) device database - and also so that people who have taken the time to manually ‘learn’ and label a new device’s remote functionality can upload it to the central service for others to use. I can’t add a TV released last year to my 10 year old Harmony remote without such a service.

So yes, there’s absolutely a reason for them to need to connect to a server. They also do not need ‘24/7 network access’, instead they connect once in a blue moon if and when you wish to modify your remote’s config… via USB.