remote ssh cvs?

[Ronald Edward Petty]

I have my path for CVSROOT on the client et to

:ext:ip/repository

I get

cvs checkout repository
cvs checkout: didn't specify hostname in CVSROOT: :ext:ip/repository
cvs [checkout aborted]: Bad CVSROOT.

I have ssh working so you dont have to type a password and it will run
ssh ip 'echo $PATH' fine.  I have the accounts on both machines set to the
same name and password.  Is my syntax wrong?  If so I copied it from
htt://www.cvshome.org/docs/manual/cvs_2.html#SEC23

my goal is to checkout/commit/update/add etc will working in the work
directory on a local machine.

THanks
Ron