If you turn on net_graph 3 in console, the ##ms is the response time (aka "registry") , for a crap setup, it will be double your ping, if it is anywhere near your ping number (within 3-10) then you are properly setup.

Also look at your choke and loss, you want them both to be at 0 most of the time, if it spikes to 8 or so (like the beginning of the round), as long as it goes back to 0 for most of the time that is what you want.

Set in console (this is if you are in the US):
rate 30000
cl_cmdrate 40
cl_updaterate 40

Look at the choke and loss, if they are still nice (0-ish) move the rates up.

cl_cmdrate 60
cl_updaterate 60

60 is all that you need if you are running a LCD monitor due to the fact that they can only do 60fps, so 60 updates a second is all you need. If your choke and loss are fine, you are done, you can go higher, just watch for choke and loss, and if choke and loss go up and stay above 0, time to lower your rates.

I would lower them 5 at a time until you see that everything is good, then lower them another 5 just in case (for times of heavy network use).

Some people set them to the max (101) which is a dumb idea since you are never going to get that kind of performance out of your cable modem/dsl (101 is used for LAN GAMING ONLY). If you set it to 101 you are getting tons of loss and choke.

You may notice that your ping has gone up by like 10, this is normal, if your rates are too high or too low, there is loss (aka skipped packets) which drop your ping because they are skipped, but your reg is screwed