I know this is an old thread, but I've started using a Blender version called verse-blender. It's listed on Blender.org in the Download section. Under Scene < ANIM, click Render Daemon. There's also a script called Farmerjoe that will also give net render capability. You'd have to do a web search for it, though.

It is better to do one thing well, than to do many things and excel at nothing.