Manage RT-AC88U router without an Internet connection

[AlHolden]

We have a RT-AC88U (and RT-AC68U on AIMesh) connected to the Frontier FIOS service. The AC88U is running 3.0.0.4.386_48263

Whenever I want to administer the router (using 192.168.0.1, or the router.asus.com address which replaces that IP), there's no response or a plain white page - unless the router has a working Internet connection.

Once the WAN is working, the router's admin pages all come up just fine.

This seems like a paradox, as I will never be able to administer the router (to fix a WAN configuration issue) when the router cannot contact the Internet.

Is there a setting I can change, which will allow me to admin the router from the LAN - when the WAN's not there?

[AlHolden]

Never mind, I just read the reviews...

[jzchen]

WiFi 7 appears to be work in progress at this point.  I now have three WiFi 7 routers:  TP-Link DECO BE95, ASUS ROG GT-BE98 Pro, and ASUS ZenWiFi BQ16 Pro.  I paid out of pocket for the TP-Link and BQ16, but got comp'd the BE98 by ASUS....

The two ASUS routers recently got firmware updates, (happy news for me).  The last one for the BE98 was about 6 months in the making.  The BQ16 seems to get them monthly.  Be sure to check if the one you are considering has a recent update, say last month or two max...