I've been told be quite a few people to never host my domains at the same place that I've registered them so I haven't done so in years. I'm curious what the rest of you think of this advice?

Should you register your domain name with your reseller host? The general consensus is NO. Why not? Too many small hosting companies encounter problems with their original host, then decide to transition to a different host only to find their domain name locked in dispute. If you have your domain name with a different provider than your reseller host, then you can simply point your nameservers to the new host and you’re good to go.

It really all depends on the host your going with. Some hosts in effort to keep a client or to get an extra bit money out of a client before he leaves will lock the domain and the client can not point their domain to another nameserver.

But, on the other hand there are some hosts that will let you leave with no problems and allow you to keep the domain registered with them or allow you to transfer out. There are only a few good hosts out there in my opinion and a crap load of decent to crappy hosts.

All I can say is do some research if you must buy a domain from the host your planning on buying a shared/reseller/vps/ account with.

Like some have said, it matters who your going to host with but I think its always best to keep them as far apart as possible. I have heard too many stories about hosts going and taking domains with them.

But if your being offered a free domain name with your hosting package research is golden!

If it has to do with web hosting then yes don't do it. But if you if for something like flash games or personnel website your are fine. Always do your research and think of how that company can *** with you. "To catch a thief, you have to think like thief".

Most of the hosting companies provide the complete management panel to administer the domains DNS and registration, so it does not matter where you decide to register the domain.

Very true.

I used to keep my registrations away from my hosting, nowardays I have my own hosting and use a netearthone reseller account, customer service actually exists there, live chat, etc, plus good prices in bulk and monthly promotions

and if you have a dispute with your hosting company and cannot access that control panel, then what?

Depends on the issue and what the problem is. Such as if its a domain name issue and they reseller you have a port of call int hat area.

But legal aspects but also many organisations have a complaints process that you can follow.

Ok, let's do one general scenario. Suppose your host suspended your account over a billing issue that you're disputing. You've been locked out of your acount until you pay your host whatever they're demanding. Could you move your site to a new host if your domain was hosted elsewhere? Yes. Could you move your site to a new host if your current host was holding your domain hostage over a billing issue with your bandwidth usage, credits or other? NO.

yup so true!! You have to always have that mind set. I almost bought my domains through my dude but thought about it and then went through a different company.

If plan to buy a domain from the place your gunna buy hosting check out their TOS. Some hosts in their TOS will stat that the domains will only be held if a client does not pay their bill.

Ok, then what about when a host goes out of business and you no longer have access to your control panel? If that web host was a one man show, as quite a few are - how much better off are you if your domain was hosted elsewhere? You need to minimize risks to your business.

I offer domain names, If I am removed from the loop because my company closes, Enom will take over. But before I became able to sell domain names, I was careful NOT to place all my eggs in one basket. so many companies have very different policies, godaddy, gives you 10 days after the name expires, then charges you an $80 fee to redeem it, Web.com TOS says the day it expires, they can purchase it and it is theirs, I have read many "Host here get domain FREE" TOS that state that the free domain name even if you transfer it is the HOSTING COMPANIES, so now they really have you. Then there are the others, that your domain is your domain, and if you want to take it and play elsewhere, you are free to go., My agreement with Enom clearly states, If the domain is paid for I will NOT interfere in the customer, renewing, transfering, etc, etc. That means if they owe for hosting I am NOT allowed to hold their name hostage, and really, this is web hosting, if someone owes you 5 or 10 dollars, how much did it really cost you?