OK, thanks, that explains it well.
Well, it gets a bit complicated, as you can see. If you have the FIOS router that has built-in WiFi, it could be happily broadcasting right now. To secure it, and put your own password in, you’ll need to dig up the directions. The last one I did was short on information, but it’s available online at: http://www.att.com/esupport/article.jsp?sid=KB410237&cv=812#fbid=sH1Lg479Q1P
Amazon offers a free reader program for both Mac and IBM computers. Any books you buy using it are also available on your Kindle if it’s registered to the same account. I am not, however, aware of a way to directly connect the Kindle to your computer. Amazon is concerned about the possibility that one person will buy a title, then make copies for most of the western hemisphere, so they’ve structured the system so that each reader has to connect with the Amazon server in order to download a book.
So, you’ll need an Amazon account, and either the WiFi or the 3G version of the device. I load the books I want to read onto the Kindle and don’t have any need to pick up one from the middle of nowhere, so the WiFi’s been perfectly adequate for me.
One thing you might consider prior to buying is to get that free download of the Kindle reader for your home computer, then download one of their free books and play with it. You’ll get a good introduction to the Kindle experience at no cost. On the left side of the Amazon home page, click the Kindle link, then the eighth link down takes you to the free reading aps.