Not a D3 owner (yet!) but wish I was for certain features...
To the point: I sympathize with not wanting to change your existing/stable router settings. However, as a fulltime support technician, I witness numerous device conflicts in the "standard" implementation of wireless adapters. Example from way back: older devices that don't understand anything above 64-bit WEP, 128-bit WEP, etc. However, here's some Motorola/Droid-specific testimony...
So when does it make sense to adjust an entire network, potentially, in order to make one squeaky device play nicely? It's almost a "Would you rather...?" -question where both choices are equally unappealing, in which case I almost always choose "No!" Instead of either option, by the way, which is also cheating, I know. The answer is, I've found, that it *doesn't* make sense, but for me it worked.
I gave up on WiFi for my D2/R2D2 (shortly after becoming an owner) until I found several posts recommending WPA2/TKIP router security. So I tentatively removed my DLink router's "automatic TKIP+AES" WPA2 and set same passphrase as strictly TKIP. Any PC or device that had been using AES previously (automatically) had to be reintroduced to my router, but the result was instantly positive! No more wireless router vs Droid problems! What problems did I have? At various attempts:
1) WiFi on Droid showed connection but would not browse or sync data of any kind, with full signal strength.
2) WiFi on Droid would show "connecting. .. ..." but not result in valid IP Address or other DHCP settings.
3) Followed a suggestion to disable automatic Sync service on the Droid (GMail included), which worked for awhile, but what's the point when you expect notifications and have to bypass that to simply use the browser on WiFi? I counted this issue against the D2 whether it's a VZW problem or not. Then I discovered the next problem...
4) (and this is where I gave up originally!) WiFi on Droid suddenly and randomly would get full signal strength, 65mbps steady with my DLink Wireless-N (DIR-615 router), valid IP et cetera, and browse+sync happily, but... then my netbook and several client's laptops under repair simultaneously lost WiFi connectivity! I looked at R2D2 sitting in his cradle with WiFi enabled, pointed my finger, and shouted, "Yoooouuu! It's all because of you, isn't it?!" And then I disabled his WiFi... again.
I tried. I gave up. Then I tried TKIP and never went back. There's a limerick in there somewhere, I'm sure.
Now, of course AES is stronger encryption (newer is better, technically, but does it work 100% across all devices I use?), a lock is better than none, and a deadbolt is smarter than blah blah blah, so dropping down to TKIP could certainly be a risk, but I'm personally content with TKIP. It works for me. YMMV
I would suggest that Motorola just plain flat-out got it wrong when assigning driver software or scripting for WiFi connection/encryption, and it's disheartening to see that Droid3 is possibly in the same non-standard AES boat for WPA2 as the Droid2 and Droid before it. I sincerely hope that a patch will appear for stock ROMs to use AES so that out-of-the-box routers can operate with highest sescurity, and find it difficult to understand why Apple, Dell, DLink, Linksys, Nintendo, HP, and all the other equipment/chipset manufacturers can get it right while Moto is on 3rd gen of this platform with a similar WiFi bug... sad. Does this happen with stock ROM on HTC, LG, Samsung?
But I love my Moto Droid2 despite this blemish.
I would also encourage you, if you're comfortable doing so, to test strictly-TKIP settings on your router before you give up on your D3, at least while you're in a valid product return period (the arbitrary/customary grace period where it's easier to return your phone). And if you do try TKIP, and find it works for your D3, and that your iPad, computers, & other wireless electronics also work at the same time, please share your results.
I found your post while searching the forum for "Droid3 wireless tether," since that's a feature (rooted add-on, shhh!) I would truly miss if not supported by the D3 when I eventually upgrade. If WiFi truly doesn't work as well as my R2D2, I would be next in line returning a Droid3, too...
Good luck!
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