I get the general idea... install the distributed software on several computers, then send the render out to be divided... multiple processors working on different parts... yada yada.

How much good does it really do? I've got a pretty gutsy machine to begin with (AMD 6400+ Black, quad core, 8 GB Ram) and my other machine is just a little internet box with a 2.3 GHz single core and 4 MG Ram. 

I've tried this several times, but it keeps wanting me to open ports in my router, which I have no idea how to do.

Has anyone actually set this up and used it for rendering day-in and day-out? Is it worth all the trouble? Is it worth buying another high-end machine to share the render load? Are there any other solutions out there?