Netgear Nighthawk requires internet to setup?

> Netgear Nighthawk [...]

   Not a model number.  Look for "Model" on the product label.

> [...] requires internet to setup?

   No.  That would make it useless to many users.

   Is this a new installation, or what?  Any history might be
interesting.  To what is your (unspecified) "Netgear Nighthawk"
connected?

> [...] if we don't use the app, it perpetually blinks, and I haven't
> found a way to get it to work using desktop. [...]

   "it"?  _What_, exactly, "perpetually blinks"?  The whole router?
Some LED indicator or other?  What happens if you do (now) "use the
app"?  Which "the app"?

> [...] we do not have access to data in our area. [...]

   Does that mean that you don't actually know whether it would now work
with "the app"?

   "haven't found a way" is not a useful problem description.  It does
not say what you did.  It does not say what happened when you did it.
As usual, showing actual actions (commands) with their actual results
(error messages, LED indicators, ...) can be more helpful than vague
descriptions or interpretations.

> [...] maybe if I connected it directly to my PC somehow I could
> configure it? [...]

   Maybe if you took the obvious first step, you might make better
progress:

      https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RTFM

   Visit http://netgear.com/support , put in your (actual) model number,
and look for Documentation.  Get the User Manual.  Read.  Look for the
LED descriptions and "Troubleshoot".

   If the router's Power indicator is what "perpetually blinks", then
you may be a candidate for the TFTP recovery scheme.  See, for example:

      https://community.netgear.com/t5/x/x/m-p/1622096#M102004