Wifi booster with Ralink utility in Iraq?

Hey all, I'm having a problem connecting to the internet. Bear with me because I don't know too much about computers. I am currently serving in Iraq. In our living compound, we have a 3 different wireless signals we can connect to. These come from a centrally located tower. Now, all the people in the compound live in these small trailer type buildings (we call pods) spread all throughout the compound. They are divided into sections, A pods, B pods, etc. I think that each of these pods has a booster to amplify the central tower so that everyone (who pays for the service) can get online. I am in X pods which is at the far end of the compound. I also hear that the X pods has been having issues with the wifi. Needless to say, I have a weak signal. I recently purchases a USB wifi booster made by Alfa. The program this booster comes with is Ralink.

For the past 2-3 weeks since I got the booster, I have been able to get online perfectly fine. Yesterday, however, I couldn't connect at all. I tried all day and nothing. My Ralink utility was showing strong signals as well as my normal Windows connection which was showing 4-5 bars. Now the Ralink utility shows many incoming signals. Usually it has the 3 main ones which are real strong, then many "duplicates" of these with weak signals (maybe from the individal pod boosters around the compound?) When I would try to connect, it wouldn't. And even if I was able to for a second, it would drop down to 1 bar. I realize that the more people that are on, the worse the connection (bandwidth) but I have always been able to get on regardless of this. I called the internet people here and they said things were running fine. They didn't say anything was down...Does anyone know what this could be? I'm beginning to think it's not the compounds internet connection but my own personal computer isn't working correctly.


_________

Internet in Iraq
Government Internet