Disagreement about what is 'domain hosting'

[5tevooo]

What exactly is domain hosting? I've googled it, but different companies/sites seem to use the phrase to mean different things. For instance, some companies seem to suggest it's the same thing as web hosting, while others insist it's a separate service. (I always assumed it was separate)

Here's what ultimately confuses me: this FAQ from the UK domain reseller 123-reg...

IPS tags are used by Nominet to identify the hosting company linked to a specific .uk domain name. For example, the 123-reg IPS tag is 123-REG. Nominet is the registry for UK domain names, and all hosting companies which host .uk domains are required to have an IPS tag which shows membership of Nominet.

1) Does "hosting" in the context above mean domain hosting rather than web hosting? (after all, it's my domain registrar - not my web host - which has the IPS tag)

2) If so, is my domain registrar said to "host" my domains, even though web hosting is a separate service I currently get from elsewhere?

[SiberForum]

2) If so, is my domain registrar said to "host" my domains, even though web hosting is a separate service I currently get from elsewhere?

If you have administer rights for the domain name you can host that wherever you want to.
On the domain name registrar you need just to change the nameservers
Good luck

[sonjay]

For instance, some companies seem to suggest it's the same thing as web hosting, while others insist it's a separate service. (I always assumed it was separate)

The Wizards.co.uk site seems to be using the term "domain hosting" to refer to DNS service -- whoever is serving as the authoritative nameserver for the domain. That's usually, but not always, the company that hosts the website itself. You can also buy third-party DNS service, and some registrars may provide DNS service. I think Wizards is really just confusing things by calling it "domain hosting," though. It's DNS service, that's all.

[AlexDawson]

I class domain hosting as providing a method to control your domains such as DNS records, redirection code and control over your WHOIS records. Hosting is definitely a separate service, hosting a domain is different to hosting a website.

[5tevooo]

Thanks for the replies (and ending that '40 views, 0 replies' feeling )

If you have administer rights for the domain name you can host that wherever you want to.
On the domain name registrar you need just to change the nameservers Good luck

Sure, I realise that web hosting is completely separate (at least in this instance), but thanks anyway.

You can also buy third-party DNS service, and some registrars may provide DNS service. I think Wizards is really just confusing things by calling it "domain hosting," though. It's DNS service, that's all.

Ah right, that would explain it.

I class domain hosting as providing a method to control your domains such as DNS records, redirection code and control over your WHOIS records. Hosting is definitely a separate service, hosting a domain is different to hosting a website.

This is what I was hoping to hear.
I can log in to my account on my domain registrar (123-reg) website, and control all that domain-related stuff, including nameservers (which I've pointed to my web host). If offering this administrative control is what they mean by hosting the domain, than that would make sense and clear up my confusion.

[TimIgoe]

Personally, I'd say 'domain hosting' is the hosting of the domain itself, DNS.

Web hosting would be the hosting of the website (apache / IIS, PHP and all that lot) and email hosting would be POP / IMAP / SMTP / Exchange.

Hosting could cover anything but if a company is claiming to do Domain Hosting I would assume the only thing they host is DNS.