When everything is configured properly, you shouldn’t encounter issues when exchanging files over the same network using another computer or device. Sometimes you may still run into problems, however. The most common one is an error that tells you “The network path was not found”. It’s accompanied by its designated code 0x80070035. What could be causing this frustrating error and how do you solve it? Read on our solutions to find out.
Due to the fact that this error can be caused by so many things, it’s usually best to start trying multiple solutions until you figure out what resolves the problem in your specific case. Start with the more general solution before moving on to more advanced error-fixing methods.
1. Check the path name
Network path names can be often mistyped. It’s likelier for this to cause the error instead of a serious technical issue. That’s why it’s important to double-check the network path name to ensure it’s valid.
2. Make sure sharing is not disabled
Unless sharing is properly enabled on the target computer, it’s safe to say that you can’t establish the connection and get the “Network path not found” error. Go to the drive of the target computer and find the sharing settings. Right-click on it and navigate to Properties > Sharing. This is where you will see a network path sharing status. If it says “Not Shared”, you will need to click on the “Advanced Sharing” button where you toggle the “Share this folder” checkbox and click apply.
3. Disable the firewall
A temporary disable of the firewall is recommended to see whether it could be interfering with the local network sharing process. This is more often the case for certain firewall software but even the default Windows Firewall can sometimes misbehave.
Disabling the Windows Firewall is done by navigating to Control Panel > Windows Defender Firewall. You have a bunch of options on the left side. Assuming you have administrator privileges, click on the “Turn Windows Defender on or off” option to disable the firewall temporarily.
4. Verify user account permissions
Errors can appear if the target computer lacks the needed privileges for accessing shared files. You can verify whether this causes your “network path not found” problem by right-clicking the file and navigating to Properties > Security. The minimum privileges should be “read” to gain access. Make the proper adjustments with the “Edit” button if this is not the case.
5. Set the right time
Strange system behaviors can appear when the computer’s time isn’t set correctly. Local network sharing errors may occur when the clocks on both devices are out of sync. Use Network Time Protocol to solve this issue.
6. Reboot all devices
This is a typical solution for various problems including local network sharing errors. It could be surprisingly effective in this case because it will refresh the cached data that creates problems for the network transaction. Restart all devices, including the target computer and network router.
7. Reset TCP/IP
Now that all general solutions are exhausted, you need to try more advanced methods to get rid of the error. Resetting network components involved in TCP/IP network traffic is considered a more advanced troubleshooting option. The procedure isn’t particularly complicated. You just need to search for “Command Prompt” to enter the following command: netsh int ip reset. Don’t forget to restart the system to complete this process.