Getting Started with Manaia
Welcome to Manaia. This guide walks you through everything you need to do — from unboxing the Home Lite to exploring your dashboard.
What's in the Box
Your Manaia Home Lite kit includes:
Step 1: Connect the Home Lite
1. Plug the Ethernet cable from the Home Lite into a spare port on your router
2. Connect the USB-C power cable to the Home Lite and plug it in
3. Wait for the LED to turn solid teal (about 30 seconds)
That's it for hardware. Now open the Manaia app for the guided setup.
Step 2: Follow the Guided Setup
1. Open the Manaia app on your phone
2. Create your Manaia account (or sign in if you already have one)
3. The setup wizard will detect your Home Lite automatically
4. Give your household a name (e.g. "The Smith Family")
Activation typically takes under 2 minutes.
Step 3: Create Your First Profile
Profiles let you set different protection levels for different family members. Manaia creates a Default profile automatically — this covers any device that hasn't been assigned to a specific profile.
To create a child profile:
1. Go to Profiles in the dashboard
2. Tap Add Profile
3. Enter the child's name and select an age range
4. Choose content categories to block (e.g. adult, gambling, violence)
5. Optionally set a schedule for internet access times
6. Save the profile
You can create as many profiles as your plan allows. Each profile can have its own filtering rules, schedules, and custom domain allowlists or blocklists.
Step 4: Install the Roaming App (Optional)
The Home Lite protects devices on your home WiFi. For protection on mobile data and other networks, install the Manaia roaming app on iOS.
1. Download the Manaia app from the App Store or Google Play
2. Open the app and sign in with your Manaia account
3. Follow the on-screen prompts to enable the VPN profile (this routes DNS queries through Manaia)
4. Assign the device to a profile in the dashboard
The roaming app is included with all paid plans.
Step 5: Explore the Dashboard
Your Manaia dashboard at app.manaia.io gives you a complete view of your household's online activity:
What Happens Next
Once set up, Manaia works silently in the background:
If you need help at any point, visit the Support page or chat with our AI assistant.
You're all set. Your family is now protected at the network level — no per-device setup needed, no settings to configure on every browser.