1&1 vs Namecheap vs others?

[hushmuffin]

I have an HTML5 website that I'd like to get on the web. It has a few simple web-based games on it, other than that it's pretty basic. I have no experience with this kind of thing, so haven't registered a domain name or anything yet.

I'm trying to find a reliable, secure web hosting service and/or domain name-registrar (with whois protection). I have heard good things about both 1&1 and Namecheap, and I'd like to get some feedback as to which of these is better (or if I should use something else).

Also, I have heard that it is better to register your domain and host your website from two different services- i.e. register your domain under 1&1 but use Namecheap for web hosting. Is this true?

[TheGAME1264]

To answer your first question, yes...it's generally better to use two different services for domain registration and hosting. Usually good hosts make horrible registrars, and vice versa...not to mention the vast number of times over the years hosts have hijacked a "free" registration when a customer cancelled. Look at hosting/registration like a TV and a DVD player...the combo devices suck, and they're best kept separate.

With that said, never used NameCheap. 1&1 is the rare exception to the rule in that they're a decent (not great, but decent) registrar and host. They're my #2 host behind Sectorlink, although that's like saying that Phil Mickelson was the second-best golfer behind Tiger Woods when Tiger was in his prime...there's a pretty sizeable gap between the two. I generally register my domains through a company called Sibername, since they offer free domain privacy and the support on the rare occasions I've needed it has been decent. I host through Sectorlink because I've been doing it for 12.5 years and no one has even come close to the overall value for money they offer to me. The support is the best I've ever seen and the prices are reasonable (not always the cheapest, but I don't shop for hosting based on "cheap").

[hushmuffin]

Great! Thanks for the info. I'll definitely look into Sectorlink.