Simply Maya User Community - 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:)