So I get the weekly cord cutting email from Tablo. In the latest one it said… " If your local network stays active, you should be able to use this handy trick to watch your Tablo and other content stored locally as you wait for the internet to come back online."
I thought Tablo wouldn’t work w/o Internet either? I know I’ve used the method outlined to watch Plex, but never tried Tablo.
The Tablo device itself does not need Internet to record or play back recordings. It needs Internet for guide updates and commercial skip processing.
Some client devices (Amazon Fire is the most notable) won’t run apps without an Internet connection. They assume that the app needs Internet to get the content. Bad assumption.
It’s complicated. Computers definitely will not run without internet, since it goes out to my.tablotv.com to connect.
The Roku is the one I have tested a lot on. Losing just internet on the Roku causes no problems at all (test by unplugging cable modem from router). But if you disconnect your cable modem and then reboot the router (simulating a loss of power), the Roku won’t connect to your Tablo. That is one reason I have my cable modem and router on a UPS to be safe.
Sort of. If you already have the web app loaded in a browser window, and it’s connected to the Tablo, then it’ll work even if the Internet goes away. I keep a Chrome tab with Tablo open all the time, and it’s continued to work even with an outage.
https://www.tablotv.com/blog/tablo-faqs-do-i-need-internet-use-tablo-ota-dvr/
Although some users claim “no matter what” some device will always work…
4. To Allow Your Devices to Discover Your Tablo OTA DVR
Most/many/some devices or apps will – depending on circumstances and variables, including the skills involved for the technical aspects of networking.
As noted, tablo does not use internet for “normal” use.
I have my Modem and router plugged into a APC UPS which is plugged into a 15 hour Goal Zero LiON battery 
Indeed. But there is a workaround for that which we outlined in last Friday’s newsletter: