I have already stated that this is going to be a MSc Project, so buying something that much integrated is out of the question and many of its features are not required.

I have researched on the X-Port part before, along with other candidates. I have already ordered a Wiznet IIM7010A from www.iinchip.com which i plan to interface to an Atmel AT89(L)S8252 and program it using SDCC.

I am not concerned with the hardware part, since this is going to be easy for me, and i enjoy building something in which i have the maximum possible control.
Unlike that, what troubles me is the windows driver that i have to built, which will allow the local system to access the remote serial port of the networked mcu based system, as though it were local.