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[brobin]

I was about to pull the wires out as my wifi now is awesome. Then..... my blue-Ray player/streaming device in the Home Theater works best with a hardwire (CAT6) connection. Plus.... I learned I could likely get by with most devices using the Cable company's city (nation) wide broadband connection. And just use the Cable company's provided router for a CAT6 wired setup.

I have no idea what will be available or needed with tomorrows broadband.

There are some devices that still work best with Ethernet like the Tivo Mini's. We have a 6 tuner TIVO in the living room equipped with a free Comcast multicast cable card so our equipment bill is exactly $0 (we own our cable modem and router too).  We have Tivo Mini's on each of the other TV's in the house so it's like having Tivo everywhere. BUT, they specifically say NOT to use WiFi as the performance will not be acceptable - probably because the boxes are stuck on the back of the TV's. Ethernet is preferred or, if not wired, the Tivo's support MOCA as well.

I'm curious, even if you no longer needed the Ethernet cabling why would you pull it out unless it's exposed?

[HA Dave]

I'm curious, even if you no longer needed the Ethernet cabling why would you pull it out unless it's exposed?

It wasn't exposed.

I am an old wire-twister from ages ago. I actually feed the wires to the proper wall plates.... in a style and color that matches the room(s). Removing the wires would have meant patching and repainting the walls as well. That's just proper home maintenance as far as I am concerned. I've seen homes with signs of outdated and often semi-removed technology. Like old iron radiators (no loner in use) or even just the old 2-wire phone plugs (they used bell wire). I don't like the "half-done look".

One old adage is to maintain a home like your going to sell it. I don't know if that is a good thing for everyone..... but it works for me.

[brobin]

Ethernet is far from obsolete but if a jack were unsightly I'd either put a blank on it or properly patch the wall and abandon the cable in place inside the walls. If any cables were surface mounted that would be another story.

[HA Dave]

…... if a jack were unsightly

Unsightly? I don't know about unsightly..... I think "tacky" would be the correct word.

……. abandon the cable in place inside the walls. ….

Fishing or pulling, finishing or removing... details do matter. I hate wires that lead to nowhere.... and I've tracked down a few too. I couldn't just leave wires in a wall. Don't get me wrong.... modern living creates plenty of "cord clutter". I accept that life can be messy. But I don't create a mess that lasts forever.... just to save a few minutes in proper clean-up. 

[bkenobi]

Leaving a blank plate with old wiring in place that will never be used isn't necessarily a bad thing though.  If you want to install a new cable then having the old one to use as the pulling wire would be very helpful.  I had coax installed in my parents house for Ethernet in the 90's and it worked great.  Twisted pair is the standard today, but they could have technically used it for network if they wanted.  Or, they could use it for some other technology.  Or they could have pulled a new wire for a future tech with it.  Their home was a little different though as it had plaster walls that were not easily patched to be seamless.  So, we only installed in existing low voltage plates and would have put blanks over should we not need them again.  I don't consider a blank plate unsightly or tacky, but that's location dependent.  In a fancy entry probably would not be good, but in an office...whatever.

[HA Dave]

….. I don't consider a blank plate unsightly or tacky, but that's location dependent.

It doesn't really matter. I don't mean to criticize anyone's maintenance, work, or decorative habits. There is no "national standard" that I am aware of (I joke). I was asked why I would pull unused wiring... and I answered.

I recently removed (outdated) hardwired speakers and wiring. While at the same time re-wired some speakers in my Theater. It would be ideal to have a wiring closet….. but in the early 1940's (when my home was built) people didn't think about that. I've considered a retrofit (to create one)…. but it isn't practical at this point.

I have old coax (cable TV) in 7 rooms of the house too. And at this point.... that is beginning to look like yesterdays technology too. To me.... old dead wires in the house.... are like old dead plants in the landscape.

[JeffVolp]

I have old coax (cable TV) in 7 rooms of the house too. And at this point.... that is beginning to look like yesterdays technology too.

I took advantage of the coax runs for TiVo's MOCA Ethernet link.  It saved having to pull Cat5 into the bedrooms.

Jeff

[HA Dave]

I took advantage of the coax runs for TiVo's MOCA Ethernet link.  It saved having to pull Cat5 into the bedrooms.
Jeff

I like the idea of re-use. But I now have three Roku and one Apple streaming devices. And only one (cable) set-top box (which requires a coax connection). It seems as if most of the people in my area have switched to the various streaming services. As many of the services create their own content (or actually contract it's creation)…. some of the best entertainment seen on TV isn't available on cable (let alone broadcast).

I am kind'a hooked on Netflex myself... and was thrilled to find a third season of Travelers now available.

But... I am not so hooked on TV..... that I feel compelled to have access to everything. And dollar for dollar I am OK with the cable service at this time. But.... I can easily see the day I cut the cord completely with the cable company. And if the planned (old TV frequency) high speed wireless broadband ever becomes what it was advertised to be..... my Internet connection will consist of nothing other than a secret password (and a monthly bill, of course). No wires, modem, or router... just logon. After all.... I watch "cable TV" streamed on 3 Roku devices now (via a Spectrum app).

It may not be this spring, or next summer, or ever for that matter. But I can see a time in the very near future when the old phone wire and cable TV cables..... serve no modern purpose. So.... when the time comes.... how many useless wires do we leave strung through our walls and with useless plastic plates, with useless connectors?

[brobin]

It may not be this spring, or next summer, or ever for that matter. But I can see a time in the very near future when the old phone wire and cable TV cables..... serve no modern purpose. So.... when the time comes.... how many useless wires do we leave strung through our walls and with useless plastic plates, with useless connectors?

We won't needs lights either cause we'll all be glowing in the dark! 

[JeffVolp]

It seems as if most of the people in my area have switched to the various streaming services. As many of the services create their own content (or actually contract it's creation)…. some of the best entertainment seen on TV isn't available on cable (let alone broadcast).

Actually, the TiVo streams Netflix into any TV over the MOCA network.  We currently have two TiVo Roamios - one for cable and one off the air.  Any TV connected to a TiVo or TiVo Mini can access any of the recordings on either TiVo or any of the most popular streaming sources.  Most nights we watch a Netflix movie or series in our theater room.  We just went through the excellent British series "Bodyguard".

Jeff

[HA Dave]

Actually, the TiVo streams Netflix into any TV over the MOCA network.  We currently have two TiVo Roamios - one for cable and one off the air.  Any TV connected to a TiVo or TiVo Mini can access any of the recordings on either TiVo or any of the most popular streaming sources.  Most nights we watch a Netflix movie or series in our theater room.  We just went through the excellent British series "Bodyguard".
Jeff

Yeah... TiVo is a premium service. And of course... any wiring involved would be well worth it. And being an old wire-twister (electrician) in a former life... I don't mind fishing wire.

But so much of what we had to wire in the old days... just don't require it now. I don't know where the edges... or the limits are for wiring. I ditched my old landline (phone) several months ago.... but retained the phones number (I've had for over 30 years)… by using a Internet phone service thingy. Meanwhile.... my wife and I have converted to mobile phone use. My new security alarm also uses a [cellular] SIM card system as a back-up to Internet as well.

So like my neighbors.... we all wonder why we all have phone lines running to our homes. Like most of them... I also had two phone lines "back-in-the-day"... with one divided between dial-up Internet and teenage daughter. I've even been teased among friends and family for keeping cable TV (not that I care). And as 5G Internet service becomes the standard here (which could be soon). The "wired" service becomes a "preference" and not a need.

And with phone/TV mirroring technology (and maybe a BT keyboard).... the next gen iPhone may even replace my laptop. The exponential progression of the technology.... nearly exceeds the speed of my imagination.

Most nights we watch a Netflix movie or series in our theater room.  We just went through the excellent British series "Bodyguard".

I binge-watched the British "Sherlock" Holmes series in our theater. That really is IMHO... a great way to enjoy "TV".