Ethereal9:
Hello and welcome to the forums.
The network path issue you are describing is almost always the result of an over zealous third party software package obstructing the propagation of NetBIOS information across the network (NetBIOS / WINS resolves machine names (Computer friendly names) to IP addresses.
Could be third party firewalls (ZoneAlarm, Comodo, etc.,) or any number of Internet Security Suites ( AVG, Avast, Avira, Norton/Symantec, McAfee, etc.,) try removing any such product by using the program uninstaller if available in the programs directory, or the Programs and Features applet in the Control Panel, follow that up with the vendor specific proprietary removal tool, a list of some can be found here Link Removed...