[TriLUG] Please help with source code extraction or location...

[Dr. David Johnson]

Hi gang, this is David Johnson, a long-time Linux fan and dabbler,
I'm nowhere near an expert but have been playing with Slackware
and RedHat for several years. Lately I've been working with Mandrake
9.1 and want to get a Netgear MA401 wireless NIC playing on my
Toshiba 325CDS laptop. Netgear provided driver for Redhat 7.3 and
I hope this works for Mandrake. Seems like a lot of steps. First
I found I needed source code for the kernel on my machine.
Hey no problem I used the Mandrake RPM manager to install the
kernel sources, and confirmed the path so I could specify this
correctly in the the make config for the wireless card driver.
But I found it also needed the sources for the pcmcia drivers.
I did already install this package from the RPM manager, but I
don't think (or don't know) this also gave me the sources.

I think my question is this (oops many questions):

How can I get the sources out of the RPM file?
Is it possible to extract the sources from any RPM file?

How can I be sure to know the path of the sources when I do
extract them to my system?

Ahhh, seems I am so close, I really want to try this driver!

Don't get mad at me, I do use Winblows since I get paid to
support that stuff (euphemism) but I love playing with, and
learning, Linux. Please help! Maybe I need a different NIC
but I am determined to try everything that's available to get
this Netgear card going if at all possible! (Would be a shame
if it could only be used with Win system!)

I'm looking forward to the TriLUG meeting this month, my first
time to join you at the meetings! Had the pleasure to meet some
of you at the Durhamfest.

Well, no doubt I could give a lot more tech details on my
Qs above, but if you need it to provide a specific answer please
let me know what details you need.

I like Mandrake as a general distro, but am also playing with
minimal distros for older systems, and networking boot disks
like Barts Boot Floppy and Freesco. Those things ROCK.

Are there others interested in using older machines to make
things happen in a dedicated and efficient way, when there is
no requirement for the cutting edge?

I'm a ham radio operator and interested in TCP/IP over radio.
Anyone else into that?

Oh I've got a Samba question... I will send separate message
on that, since I've already started a tome...

THANKS gang,

David
ARS WA4NID