Motorola Droid :: Rooting - Wifi Tether - ROMS

Finally going to make the root leap on my D1 today.

I have some pretty specific and limited needs and I have been reading EVERYTHING on rooting for the last two weeks and still don't have a clear idea on a few tidbits.

Here is what I hope to achieve by rooting:

1. Wireless wifi tether

2. Improved battery life

3. Eliminate my wifi problems that came with FRG01B OTA

4. Be AT LEAST as smooth and fast as my current setup

5. Be AT LEAST as reliable/bug-free as my current stock Froyo

I am entirely satisfied with the look and feel of my device so I don't NEED to have any themes etc...

I know through research that some ROM's provide easy wifi tethering and some do not. I need one that does since that is my prime requirement.

I am also concerned about the new OTA this week screwing up my root access before or after I root the device.

In reading a bazillion threads everyone keeps saying that each phone is unique in what ROMS/Kernels the phone will "like" which I find quite baffling honestly...but I guess you all know what you are talking about.

I would not even change ROM or kernel if I can achieve my 5 requirements, but from what I see, I do need to change my ROM at the least.

Any recommendations on which ROM's to try? Please note any ROM that does not allow easy wifi tethering is a waste of my time.

I already have ROM Manager, SetCPU and Titanium Backup all queued up on APPBrain for me and I will be pulling the trigger on this today.

I have read all the instructions on rooting the "hard way" and the "easy way" and my time is very valuable so I will use easyroot or the other one...Universal Androot.