int PacketReceive_buffer( SOCKET sock, long lWaitMilliSecs, unsigned int *rcvdLen, unsigned char *recvBuffer )
{
    if( !rcvdLen || !recvBuffer ) return 0; // assert
    (*rcvdLen) = 0;                       // zero bytes received
    recvBuffer[0] = recvBuffer[1] = 0;    // zero 1st 2 bytes in packet
    if( sock == 0xFFFFFFFF ) return 0;    // assert
    unsigned int plen = 0;                // receiving packet len
    int r = 0, rr = 0;                    // net functions results return codes
    unsigned char *bufptr = NULL;         // current receive buffer pointer
    int rdyR = 0, rdyS = 0;               // ready to recv, ready to send

    // first try to receive packet len. receive 1st byte
    r = select( sock, SELECT_READ, lWaitMilliSecs, &rdyR, &rdyS );
    if( r <= 0 ) return r;
    r = recv( sock, (unsigned char *)(&plen), 1 );
    if( r <= 0 ) return r;
    (*rcvdLen) = 1;
    // receive 2nd byte
    r = select( sock, SELECT_READ, lWaitMilliSecs, &rdyR, &rdyS );
    if( r <= 0 ) return r;
    r = recv( sock, (unsigned char *)(&plen) + 1, 1 );
    if( r <= 0 ) return r;
    (*rcvdLen) = 2;

    if( plen == 0 ) return 0; // protocol error - packet length 0 cannot be! minimum is 2

    // set packet len in packet
    recvBuffer[0] = ((unsigned char *)&plen)[0];
    recvBuffer[1] = ((unsigned char *)&plen)[1];
    bufptr = recvBuffer + 2; // update current bufer pos to pass 1st 2 bytes

    unsigned int nBytesRcvd = 2; // packet len already received
    unsigned int nTimeouts = 0;  // number of timeouts on receive process
    unsigned int maxTimeouts = 5; // max.number of timeouts

    // receive loop
    while( nBytesRcvd < plen )
    {
        (*rcvdLen) = nBytesRcvd;
        r = select( sock, SELECT_READ, lWaitMilliSecs, &rdyR, &rdyS );
        if( r > 0 ) // select() OK
        {
            rr = recv( sock, (unsigned char *)bufptr, (plen - nBytesRcvd) );
            if( rr > 0 ) // recv() OK, received rr bytes
            {
                bufptr += rr;
                nBytesRcvd += rr;
                nTimeouts = 0;
            }
            else if( rr <= 0 ) // recv() returns 0 when connection closed by remote host? or returns -1 on error
            {
                nTimeouts++;
                if( nTimeouts > maxTimeouts ) break;
            }
        }
        else if ( r <= 0 ) // select() timeout or error
        {
            nTimeouts++;
            if( nTimeouts > maxTimeouts ) break;
        }
    } // while

    if( nBytesRcvd == plen ) // successful return
    {
        (*rcvdLen) = plen;
        return 1;
    }
    else if( nBytesRcvd < plen ) // received less than should, error
    {
        return -1;
    }

    // other error
    return -1;
}