This globally enables, disables, or defers to per-route settings for 3xDES encryption of transmitted traffic. The perRoute(2) option is what makes this genuinely useful in mixed environments, since it lets some routes carry encrypted traffic and others carry it in the clear from the same modem, rather than forcing an all-or-nothing encryption policy across every route. Setting this to perRoute(2) and then enabling cdmipIpRoute3xDes only on the route carrying sensitive financial traffic, while leaving a bulk internet-access route unencrypted, keeps overhead off traffic that does not need it.