Using UNC paths is essential to make sure that distributed rendering works flawlessly. Below is a simple guide which helps with converting local paths (C:\textures\texture.jpg) to UNC paths (\\ComputerName\textures\texture.jpg).
- Go to Utilities tab in 3ds Max (hammer icon)
- Click on "more..."
- Choose "Bitmap/Photometric paths" and press OK
- Click on "Edit Resources..."
- A window with all your assets visible should pop up
- Press "Strip All Paths"
- Select all your assets
- Press "Set Path"
- Point to the network location where the assets are stored
This should convert all local paths to UNC ones.