Network Rendering Help Request
Hey everyone
Ok, Ive been banging my head against a brick wall for long enough, and the various help files out there arent really very well written. Im familiar-ish with maya, however, I want to set up network/distributed rendering over a network. I have 3 pcs, all running windows xp on a home network, all ready to run a network render. Maya Unlimited 8.5, and Mental Ray running on the main PC, and Mental Ray Satellite on the other 2 PCS. I want to render a single frame, across the network, harnessing the power of the 3 PCs in a distributed render over the network. I have done various things, like setting up a maya.rayhosts file, and putting it on the C drive of the 2 slave computers....lots of different configurations...but whenever I render, it seems only my main PC1 does the rendering, and PC2 and PC3 just sit there. I need someone to take me through, step by step, how to set up the 3 PCs for network rendering. I have lots of qu (unfortunatly) like, how to tell in Maya if it is seeing all 3 pcs...(cant see any indication in the output window as it renders, it just gives the percentage and name of PC1 when it renders a file...
Im no fool, but I know Im missing something, and would appreciate it if someone can take me through from the beginning and we can see where it goes from there. I have no problem supplying any and all relevant info in order to help someone help me through this
Anyway, thanks in advance if anyones up for the challenge, and willing to spend a little time to guide me through this, I would be most greatful