simsam:
Here is the code i used, i have add the code from your post in it as well:
I am confused.
I thought you are trying to read data from your ESP device and I presume that is what you are using SoftwareSerial for. However your code in recvWithStartEndMarkers() is reading from Serial. Shouldn't it be reading from esp?
If I have got things wrong please put me right.
...R