What i hate after upgrading a kernel ? Compile all your modules that there are not part of the main stream kernel.
If you use a custom kernel is easy. But if you want to stick for a reason with a prepackaged kernel sometimes is difficult.
The debian way = Allways build a package for your custom modules.
Download and install module assistant (http://packages.debian.org/stable/devel/module-assistant). Module assistant makes the installation of modules such the nvidia, ipw2100 peace of cake.
It will download the sources using apt, compile them and finally create a deb package.
So simple 🙂