Contrary view: I have been using Modular Wi-Fi for past year, I don’t even bother to plug in the hard wire any more. I have gigabit fiber and the Data rate of my Wi-Fi is same or better, everywhere, without thinking of a cable.

To me Running Ethernet in the walls is as useful as coax to all your potential tv locations, like the bathroom and the kitchen? Bunch of wall plates? Are you worried about future upgrades? Why not fiber everywhere?

If I was building a house and dotting all the q’s maybe run large conduit everywhere so you could pull new wires in the future? Remember those whole house vacuum systems?

So, yeah, I think going Wi-Fi only is reasonable.

How so? For security everything transmitted to/from secure place is encrypted. The internet is already a giant open mic. How does using Wi-Fi change that?

WiFi would be fine for most .... except a hardcore networking dummy or audio idjut imo.

I are bofem :D

I'm onboard with totally wireless. We remodeled my son's house last year. I ran exactly one communications cable and that was fiberoptic that goes to the modem/router from the box outside. Everything from there is Mesh.

I had to wiggle on my belly in the attic insulation to add Cat 5e to run the video cameras for my home surveillance system. Four cameras, all powered by the wires. No need for batteries.

I would demand wires in any house I was having built. Wireless if fine for some things, but not all.

WiFi and 5G proximity is going to be the next asbestos.
(unless sticking yer head in a microwave feels ok)

The router downstairs didn't make it upstairs though a couple walls and floor. Even an extender didn't work.

Wireless is kinda easy to break into. And once on the wlan then targeting devices or doing a MITM attack is easy. Or go from your connection to the world for nefarious things and when the FBI comes knockin' it will be your door ...

Security is multilayered and while encryption is fantastic it is only one part of the equation

I have cameras all over this place. A stray cat can't poop in the yard without me knowing! All wireless, All connected to my mesh network.

Wireless is ok, but batteries have to be replaced. I have no batteries to replace.

I can see the appeal of no batteries but my cameras all have lithium batteries. At worst I change them once every 2-3 years.

I have blink wireless cameras. Unfortunately, some of them are in use constantly, due to us walking in and out of the garage or front door. Those two cameras use up the lithium batteries and video storage quickly.

I have a blank camera overlooking the driveway, but due to the distance and it being outside, it’s not very effective, due to a weak signal

I know I can trust that you'll keep this between the two of us and the rest here since we're on the internet... but I only arm mine when I'm not around. :D Don't tell anyone please.

I see both sides. I'd not want the one jack at the panel, that's stupid. But if there's an office or other location for a modem/router, one there that's on the first or second level.
I'm mesh entirely, but I live in boonies where you'd have to drive up my drive to breach my wifi. And you'd likely get eaten by my shepard or shot if you did that and I was home. So my use case isn't yours.
Problem w. in wall is that its likely to be an obsolete standard in 10-15 yrs, like coax. So there's that. But in a 1.5 house I'd like to spec what I want. Except it sounds like these aren't custom homes...

I still play multiplayer FPS and Flight Sim and Drive Sim etc gaming over a DSL connection regularly.

It uses the old copper phone lines from 1952-ish. Or something like that.
4mb/sec connection speed.
The old phone lines usually start farting when it first rains or snows. Whatever. That is being connected to the internet chain.
Some huge downloads take many days instead of hours for other users.
But it works.

Any in-game lag has almost always been main server lag, sometimes located in another country.
Or because the entire game-server's network is down.
(edit: Or most usually operator error. sigh.)

People on the the net always complain because they are paying for 'A billion TB/sec service plan' and expect that. They also have to wait. It's not how it works.

A chain is always as strong as it's weakest link.

They aren’t truly custom homes, but at a price from $2.5 to $5m, they need to have certain features, even if they’re fluff. But you’re right, in 5-10 years, so many things will be obsolete. I think it’s funny that we install refrigerators, ovens, garage door, openers, etc. that are Wi-Fi capable.