Can't rename files or folders

I have a wireless Airport Extreme home network. I have a USB hard drive connected to an old Tiger based MacBook that is functioning as a server and a CD ripper. I'm in the process of ripping my entire 1,500 CD collection.

From my main computer, a newer MacBook with Snow Leopard, I want to organize a large number of files on that USB hard drive. So this is how it is connected:

Snow Leopard MB -> wireless -> Airport X -> ethernet cable -> Tiger MB -> USB drive

I successfully connect to the Tiger MB. I am logged in on the remote MacBook with full privileges. I can see and access the USB drive. I can create new folders on the USB drive, I can delete them, I can move files between folders on the USB drive.

But I can't rename them.

With a file or folder highlighted, I press the return key, I hear the error sound. I open the "Info" dialog, and the "Name and Extension" field is grayed out.

Even stranger, when I create a new folder, the "untitled folder" name is automatically highlighted as usual, and I can type the name. But once set, I can no longer change it.

What am I doing wrong? What is the file system doing wrong? How do I change the names of the files? Is this a bug that I should report?

-Ron.