Integration by substitution:
$$\int \frac {dx}{x^2-1}$$ Let $x=\sec\theta$ and $dx=\sec\theta\tan\theta \,d\theta$ $$\int \frac {dx}{x^2-1} = \int \frac{\sec\theta\tan\theta \,d\theta}{\sec^2\theta-1} = \int \frac {\sec\theta\tan\theta\, d\theta}{\tan^2\theta} = \int \frac {\sec\theta \,d\theta}{\tan\theta} $$ $$\int \frac {\sec\theta \,d\theta}{\tan\theta} = \int \frac {\cos \theta \,d\theta}{\cos\theta \sin \theta} = \int \csc\theta\, d\theta$$ $$=\ln|\csc\theta-\cot\theta|+C$$
$$=\ln| \frac{x}{\sqrt{x^2-1}}-\frac{1}{\sqrt{x^2-1}}|+C=\ln| \frac{x-1}{\sqrt{x^2-1}}|+C$$
Which is $Undefined$ for $|x|<1$
Integration by partial fractions:
$$\int \frac {dx}{x^2-1}$$ $$\int \frac {dx}{x^2-1}= \frac 12\int\frac{dx}{x-1}- \frac12\int \frac{dx}{x+1} = \frac12 \ln | x-1| - \frac12 \ln|x+1| +C$$ $$ = \frac12 \ln | \frac{x-1}{x+1}|+C$$
Which is $Defined$ for $|x|<1$ and this is right because the integrand is defined for $|x|<1$
What is the problem in the substitution method ?