Actually I was using the IP address.

I've switched the profile to use the web address instead.

Does this mean the internet has to be active in order to log in to the router?

HelpFixDecoApp wrote

  @Iceman803 

 

Any time i lose internet net access i also lose access to the deco app and the web UI 

Well, that seems to be an extraordinarily poor design.

Your internet is out, so remove local access to the device which supplies you with internet.

You can, however, http://deco-LAN-address and log in using your TP-Link account password (provided the Deco remembers it locally).

There really should be a local admin account and password so you can do at least some debugging in your router in case of an outage. At the very least there should be a locally configurable password which gains you administrative access to the router - an nmap scan of the local LAN address indicates there's at least an active http: and https: server in the router.

Of course, if all the UI action or logic takes place on the TL-Link servers you're doomed anyway …