Using wire in a map mode doesn't work, neither for far entities nor for close ones in player's range.

You need https://mods.factorio.com/mod/RemoteConfiguration to allow the wires to be placed at any distance. By "Use in map" on this mod's page I just mean that you can press the shortcut button whilst in map view and it will give you a wire. The original Wire Shortcuts doesn't do this for historical reasons (https://mods.factorio.com/mod/WireShortcuts/discussion/63ad98fc7444830c86144828).

Assuming that you were already using Remote Configuration, I've been informed that it was my non-standard control setup that made it work for me but nobody else - you need to change the "drag map" key bind from left-click to something else (perhaps middle-click or right-click). I doubt there is anything I can do about it, other than recommend players change this ingame.

This worked for me. I just had to change my drag binding.

it would be nice if it wasn't required to change the default drag button though :/

You can give a +1 to my bug report here: https://forums.factorio.com/104694
But I'm not hopeful it will be fixed, and I can't think of any other way around it :(

It will be fixed in 1.1.75! 🎉

And 1.1.75 is also bringing a crucial API feature to allow me to emulate the vanilla behaviour where you can click to start a wire connection, then press Q to cancel the connection whilst still holding the wire item. Currently in Wire Shortcut X, pressing Q will clear both the wire connection and the held item.

You can now updated to Factorio 1.1.75 (currently experimental) and it will work :)

amazing <3
You can also update the description page of Remote Configuration mod

Done :)