
SOLVED:
Disabling and enabling the network adapter works consistently on both of our Windows 8.1 HP laptops. Special thanks, rrossbach and Alan Anderson!
Things that didn't work:
- ipconfig /flushdns
- restarting "NI mDNS Responder Service" and all dependent services
- restarting DS
- every possible sequence of the above
THANK YOU ALL for your replies. I'm just super-pumped that I don't have to restart the computer every time we restart the bot now.