if you are on a nix box, you can use ftp to change permissions on your folder if your ftp client will allow you, or you can use a script and use the chmod() function to open up permissions to the folder, then chmod() them back if need be, you can also telnet in and use chmod() to change the permissions.
you can just check them by going to the dir up one of the folder you want to check and do
ls -l foldername
and that will give you something like
rwxrxrx // if the permissions are 755
if you are on a windows box, and you are physically at it or have terminal services into it, then you can just check the permissions/sharing by right clicking the folder in question and check out the permissions
