I am not able to view my own shared folders on my own computer using the \\ command. I can see the folders listed but I can't browse it. It says you do not have permission... blablabla
Funny thing too is that I can't seem to see my own computer in the WORKGROUP.
Any ideas?

Other computers are able to view and acces my folders. I can't seem to ping other computers using their names. I can only do that via a direct IP ping.

thanks

Well, you'll have to be in the same WORKGROUP for it to work, check to see if you actually need to join a DOMAIN, you may not be in the DOMAIN. AND make sure, if you are in the correct DOMAIN that your user has access to the shared folders, because, if I'm correct, browing through the network in this manner makes the DOMAIN the primary access point. Therefore, the way you're going to the PDC, using \\, even folders on your local PC will need to have DOMAIN access for your user. See if you can see the folder's contents through Network Neighborhoood on your local PC.