Different.
The dongle goes in your computer (XT preferably) and lets you run the software. Once you have a design ready to go to the laser, you compile it and either 'download' it via a usb cable, (USB B on the card) or save it to a thumb drive which you then plug into the laser. (USB A)
Updating the firmware in the laser is also done via thumbdrive, two files are saved in the root folder of the drive (with preferably nothing else on it) and this is then plugged into the USB A slot on the card (on mine it was brought out to the side of the laser via an extension lead).
Note that you don't need the dongle to run the laser, it's only for the software - so it should be possible for someone else - with s/w and dongle - to program a test file (or your file) for you, email the files produced (two, I think) which you can put on a t/drive and plug into the laser.
This would at least reassure you the laser is working.