Hi everyone. Firstly I want to apologize for choosing the "Adapter" model but this is an older, not-listed model.

So, a few months ago I found an old TL-WA730RE (first version, white with a single antenna, most recent firmware) lying around and i decided to use it as an access point in my basement. IIRC, I simply ran quick setup, and it worked perfectly.

Some time after I just stored it again because it would not be needed for a while. Since then, my full network changed a bit, and I will describe its current state below.

Today I decided to use it again for the same purpose and... well, no luck. I could set it up but never got an Internet connection. I wasted too much time and hopefully it was just a stupid mistake I made.

My main router has a working IP range of 192.168.1.1 - 192.168.1.254 and its DHCP server assigns IPs in the range 192.168.1.1/24 - 192.168.1.180/24 (I set it up that way). I have a second TP-Link router in my room upstairs acting as an AP (works perfectly) with the IP address of 192.168.1.187/24, outside of the main router's DHCP range, with its own DHCP server disabled.

So, initially I just set up the TL-WA30RE in the basement as an access point with a different SSID, connected to the main router via CAT5. Disabled own DHCP server, set static IP address of 192.168.1.197/24, default gateway as the IP of the main router (192.168.1.1), WPA2/PSK/AES, same as the other working access point. Could not even connect to the network with my phone. It just kept trying to connect.

(And yes, the wall ethernet socket is working)

I thought maybe I could try again, now with DHCP server enabled for the unused range of 192.168.1.220/24 - 192.168.1.230/24. This time, I could get my phone to connect to the network (which tells me there was really no IP assignment by the main router to my phone in the first try), but still no Internet.

Even tried changing optional settings, such as primary DNS server (tried Google's 8.8.8.8) and DHCP default gateway (tried both TL-WA730RE and main router), and no luck.

As I have a switch interconnecting multiple equipment, including this specific basement socket, I even tried connecting the unit directly to the router, and nothing. I then left the unit connected and came upstairs. With an advanced IP search I could find the working AP that is my room, but no information about the 192.168.1.197/24 unit. 

Does anyone have an idea of what I am doing wrong? It was working a few months ago and there was no misuse, I believe. Just don't want to throw it away if it works.

Thank you for reading. Appreciated.