Can you browse a UNC path using a command line environment without mapping it to a network drive?

If you use pushd and popd instead of cd you won't get that UNC error.

pushd <UNC path> will create a temporary virtual drive and get into it.

popd will delete the temporary drive and get you back to the path you were when you entered pushd.

Example:

C:\a\local\path> pushd \\network_host\a\network\path

U:\a\network\path> REM a temporary U: virtual drive has been created

U:\a\network\path> popd

C:\a\local\path> REM the U: drive has been deleted

C:\a\local\path>