Access Denied when pushing git

I am a newbie with git but seem to have a problem with pushing a git repository over a network. Here is what I do to recreate the problem:

1. create a new git repository on the computer to push to
    mkdir ~/git/test.git
    cd !$
    git --bare init-db

2. On my local computer I then create a new git repository and add a random
file to it:
   mkdir test
   git init
   touch TEST
   git add .
   git commit -m "initial commit"

3. Then add the remote computer via:
   git remote add origin ssh://user@site.com/~/git/test.git

4. Then I try to push the local repository to the remote via:
   git push origin master

This is what I get when I do that:

fatal: protocol error: bad line length character <---- sometimes this is not there Access denied Access denied Access denied Access denied FATAL ERROR: Server sent disconnect message type 2 (protocol error): "Too many authentication failures for user"

I am using cygwin on an XP machine and trying to push to a unix server.

I have also tried it between my two computers I have at home and I have the same problem, both are windows machines by the way.

I have set up passwordless login via ssh and I can ssh no problem via: ssh user@site.com

I've been trying to figure this out for two days now, any help would be appreciated

Thanks, Aaron