Bonjour hjaltip,
Here is a simple setup. Install the software or the render slave on each machine......
When you're asked for the mental ray's port number, try to put the same everywhere. It's important that each "slave" machine has the same port number as the "master". But sometimes you wont be able to put the same port number because the port is already taken.
All you need to know is two things: the name of all computers, and the port number that mental use.
1- The name of the computers
I'm sure you know how to get these, but in case you don't, go in My Network Places > Computers Near Me, and they will be there. If you have less available machine than there is on the network, go on each station, right-click on My Computer > Properties > Network Identification tab > full computer name.
Now, go in Start > Programs > Softimage Products > XSI > User Tools
Select the .ray3hosts (Distributed Rendering). Click on Edit File.
Put the name of all available computers on top of each other, including yours. You should have something like this:
machine1
machine2
machine3
machine4
And so on.
2- The port numbers
mental ray uses a port. By default, this port number ranges from 7002 to 7006. But you have to check on each machine to be sure (if you didn't take note when you installed the softwares). To find out, go in C:Winntsystem32driversetc. There is a file called SERVICES. Open this file with WordPad, and scroll to the bottom. You should have something like this:
mi-ray3xsi2_0 7006
The 7006 is your port number.
Now, go back in the .ray3hosts file, and write the port number next to the appropriate machine name. You should get something like this:
machine1:7006
machine2:7006
machine3:7006
machine4:7006
And so on.
Save and close.
Ok, even if you write the right port number, there is a possibility that a machine who doesn't have the same port number as the master will not render. The only way to overcome this is, sadly, to uninstall the software and manually clean the registry. When doing so, delete everything that is related to Softimage on your machine, open the regedit, and delete everything that is related to Softimage (searching Softimage is a good thing). Then you can reinstall the software.
Finally, you will start your renders from only one machine. This machine will use every processors available on the network to render a frame.
Don't forget to deactivate any energy saving option (including network card).
Hope this helps
Salutations - Cheers
Bernard Lebel
