[Wlug] kernel driver vs module

[Mike Leo]

I am still having a hard time understanding kernel drivers vs module's in practical use:

I understand a kernel driver, is a driver that Linus, et al, have coded into the kernel, so if i
have a peice of hardware, and I compile a kernel with that device's driver turned on, then my
device will work.

If i build that kernel driver as a module,  the driver remains outside the kernel, but still
availible for use.  As a module I can rmmod or insmod when i need to use the device.

My foggy'ness comes from a few things.

1.  if the driver is built into the kernel, will it show up in lsmod?
2.  if the driver does not show up in lsmod, how do i know if its loaded?
3.  weather it's a built in driver or a module, how do i associate the driver (or module) with a
particular device?
4.  if the device does not have a driver in the kernel, I cannot build a custom kernel to include
it, nor can I build it as a module from the kernel source.  So:
5.  if I get the driver from the vendor, it will build a module for me, based on my kernel-source
or kernel-headers???  Then what?  again, see #3:  how do i associate the module with my device?

This is a general linux quandry, but this time i have a debian stable install and have inserted a
QLogic HBA.  lsmod does show qla2xxx, but it doesn't seem to be functioning as it isn't logging
into the fiber switch.

thanks
mike